Death Before Dawn (Season 1)
by anewfoundgloryfades
Summary: The Twins discover a new way of life when Vampires come out of the Coffin. Is it truly as horrific as everyone expects it to be or can the girls manage to live among the undead? ** AU with two Original OCs **
1. Chapter 1

_**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**_ I do not claim ownership of True Blood or the Southern Vampire Mysteries – just of my original character and elements. This is also written in an Alternative Universe format.

* * *

"Sookie!" There was a pause, but no silence in the midst of the dinner rush in the small southern diner. The chatter and laughter of people filled the dining room and floated back toward the bar and kitchen, nearly drowning out the sound of the cook and order bell. "Sookie!" Lafayette Reynolds shouted in a throaty voice as he slammed his hand down on the bell once more. A flash of blond hair whipped by the kitchen window and he tapped the counter with his spatula. "Kendall? Where the fuck is your sister?" The porcelain skinned blond turned around and came back to the window. "Her order's been up for about five minutes."

"Oh, I think she's out at a table. She probably got to talkin' to the customers again. I'll take it." The woman grabbed the basket of fried food and the ticket attached to it and walked the order to the table. "I'm so sorry about the wait. Enjoy." She turned her attention from the customers at the table and glanced around the diner. Her blue-green orbs finally fell on the blond ponytail of her sister. She was right; her sister was chatting away to men at a table. It wasn't surprising though. The men were familiar – their brother and his co-workers and friends. They made it a habit to come into the diner every day after work for drinks or dinner.

Kendall approached and halted at her sister's side, looping her arm around Sookie's. "Sook, you're slacking off talking to these weirdos. I can't come away from the bar to deliver your orders again," she said with a smile. Their brother, Jason, scoffed.

"I'm pretty positive that I'm not the weird one here. That's Hoyt." The tallest and broadest of the trio of men dropped his mouth open in a bewildered response.

"What did I do?" he asked. "I'm not weird." Sookie pulled her arm from Kendall's grasp and gave her a warning look. Jason laughed. Kendall shook her head, and her eyes met those of the third man at the table. Rene Lenier smiled slightly at her then looked away, the way a shy school boy might have looked away from the girl he had a crush on.

"You're all weird. I gotta get back to the bar and help Sam," Kendall said, turning to step away.

"Kendall. Can we get a pitcher?" Jason asked. She nodded and continued to the bar. Her boss and the owner of the diner slid a duo of shot glasses to two patrons in front of them.

"Jason's table wants a pitcher," she said, grabbing a rag and wiping down the counter top.

"Alright." Sam shot a look toward the table of men and watched Sookie walk away from it. "Is Sookie okay?" Kendall's hand paused for a second and she looked at Sam Merlotte curiously. This man was a good decade older than she and Sookie. He'd lived in the small swamp town of Bon Temps, Louisiana just as long as they had. It was odd that he had developed a crush on her sister only after she started working for him – granted if it had happened before that, it would have been even more odd.

"Yeah, why?"

"She seems distracted." Kendall shrugged and went back to cleaning as Sam filled up a pitcher of draft beer.

"Sometimes she's just spacey. You know that." He gave up after a second and nodded, handing her the pitcher.

"I don't know where Arlene is." Kendall sighed and took the pitcher. It was _Sookie_ that should have been coming for the pitcher. It was her table, not Arlene's. Kendall was fed up with Arlene anyway, so the less she saw of her, the better. She was a pompous woman who always thought she could belittle Kendall because she was the "new girl", but Kendall wasn't one to let people walk all over her, so there was a lot of cattiness between the two women.

The young blond grabbed three steins and walked the alcohol over to the table. She set it down in the middle and tapped her brother on the shoulder. "Sookie's your waitress, if she doesn't keep disappearing."

"I know. She's running food right now. Is she the only one working tonight?" Jason asked, watching Hoyt pour the beer for everyone.

"No. Arlene is here somewhere. She probably went off the floor again to take a break." Kendall took care to emphasize air quotes around the work break. "She always says her feet hurt. Bitch, we're all on our feet in here. You don't see me sneaking off to sit on my ass."

"Got a little hostility there, you?" Rene asked with a laugh.

"I don't like Arlene. Sorry. I know she's your girlfriend."

"Ex-girlfriend." The table was silent for a second. Rene looked at all of them. "What?"

"When did y'all break up?" Hoyt asked.

"A couple of weeks ago."

"Why?" Rene took long drink from his glass.

"Cheated on me with Terry Bellefleur." Jason and Hoyt looked at each other.

"Did you catch them?" Jason asked.

"No. She told me. Then she told me she didn't wanna be with me anymore." He waved his hand dismissively.

"Sorry, Rene," Kendall said.

"Kendall!" Sam called. She turned her head to look toward the bar.

"I've gotta get back. I'll see you guys later." Kendall scampered off, passing her sister on the way. _Did you know Rene and Arlene broke up?_ She thought toward Sookie. Sookie paused and shot her a glance over the bar.

 _When?_ Was Sookie's returned thought.

 _A couple of weeks ago. She cheated on him with Terry Bellefleur._

 _That explains why she's been hiding in the office since he came in._

 _Are you shittin' me?_

 _No, I just saw her back there. Now that I think about it, she seems to disappear when he comes in._

"Arlene is hiding out in your office. Might wanna get her back out here before Sookie gets swamped," Kendall casually said to Sam before turning her attention to a couple that sat down at the bar. The good thing about she and her sister was that they could have private conversations back and forth just through their minds, thanks to some strange genetic anomaly they inherited in their shared womb. The bad thing was that if they didn't protect themselves with concentration, Sookie could hear the thoughts everyone and Kendall could hear them and sense their emotions. Sometimes, things could be unbearable.

They were the freaky Stackhouse twins growing up, once people started noticing their peculiarities. Jason was always the normal one – albeit he could do weird things, but it was never anything out of the ordinary. He was older than them by a couple of years. The only person that ever understood the girls was their grandmother and by a tragic chain of events, the kids wound up living with her after their parents were killed in a car accident.

"Yeah," Sam said, excusing himself from the bar. Kendall smirked despite herself and focused on passing the hours.

* * *

"You're terrible at this game, Rene," Hoyt said, lining up his cue stick at the billiards table. Kendall pushed the broom around the floor in the game room, watching the men play. Last call had been nearly an hour ago and every customer except for her brother and his friends had called it a night. Of course, this was not unusual. Sam never minded if they hung around until he locked up as long as they didn't inhibit the staff from cleaning up.

"I'm not. I drank a lil' too much," he said with a laugh as his eyes switched from the table to Kendall's passing form. His arm went around her waist and her weight shifted into him as he pulled. His emotions flowed into her then, lust and anger, though she couldn't understand the anger part. He was a man, so she always understood the lust part.

"Rene?" she asked, resting her hand on his shoulder.

"You're so beautiful," he said. His Cajun accent was almost non-existent, his eyes half open and glassy. She didn't recall seeing Rene this drunk – if ever. Perhaps the conversation of Arlene's infidelity had struck a nerve and that was the root of his feeling of anger and spiral out of control that evening.

"And you are so hammered, Rene. Do you want some coffee?" He shook his head and smiled before he leaned closer to her.

"Dude, it's your turn," Hoyt urged. Rene looked over her shoulder and she tried to pull away from him.

"Remember when we first met?" he asked. Hoyt sighed and docked his cue stick on the wall before walking out of the game room. Kendall was confused for a moment.

"Was that directed at me or Hoyt?" she asked as he pulled her close and started to sway the two of them to the silence.

"You, Chére."

"Yeah, at the bank. What about it?"

"I should have asked you out when I first saw you." He went in to kiss her, and she leaned away from him.

"Rene!" He stood up straight and looked at her. "What?"

"Stop that."

"I thought you liked me."

"I do, but not sloshed off your ass and trying to force yourself on me." He let go of her.

"Whoa, it's not like that." Sookie came into the room then.

"What's going on?" she inquired. Rene shook his head.

"Did Hoyt leave?"

"No. I think he's waiting for you. He's gonna drop you home." Rene didn't let his eyes meet Kendall's as he started to stumble away.

"Sorry." Kendall watched him walk away and Sookie stepped closer.

"What happened?"

"Nothing. He's wasted." Sookie stared at Kendall for a moment, and then Kendall blinked. "Don't do that! I don't infringe upon your brain when you're vulnerable."

"Want me to kick his ass?" Kendall laughed.

"That'd be funny to see." She shook her head. "He's upset about the Arlene thing still. And he drank too much, which I've never seen him do."

"That doesn't excuse him."

"He stopped when I said to. Let's leave it alone." Kendall shifted the broom handle from one hand to the other. "Are we about done?" Sookie nodded. "Great. I'm beat."

"Then let's head home."


	2. Chapter 2

A groan sounded in the silence of the room before a shuffling of blankets. Kendall turned over in her bed, facing away from the window to hide her face from the beaming sunlight. Morning came too soon for the bartender, and no matter what, she always woke up before eleven. She blamed Sookie, partly, who was a morning person. When that girl was up stirring around with their Gran, it always woke Kendall.

"Ken! Wake up! You're supposed to run into Shreveport with me today!" Sookie called from the hallway. Kendall wished she could sleep with her door closed. It might have helped with prolonging her slumber, but ever since moving into Gran's house, she hadn't ever been able to sleep with it shut.

"I'm awake," Kendall muttered.

"Then come down and eat breakfast." The sleepy woman sighed and then pushed the blankets back, shivering at the drafty room. The old Stackhouse home had been around since the early 1800s and while it had been remodeled a bit and had several minor fix-it projects, it still got drafty in the morning and evenings and stuffy during summer days. Gran never did install an air conditioner – no matter how much Jason begged when he lived there.

Kendall pulled her robe over her shorts pajama set and slid her feet into her slippers before making her way downstairs to join her sister and grandmother. "Mornin' Gran," she said, pausing in the living room where the two ladies were sitting and paying attention to some news program.

"Mornin' hon," Gran said, petting the cat perched in her lap. Kendall kissed her grandmother's head and reached over to pet Tina.

"Vampires are out of the coffin!" Sookie exclaimed with a wide grin.

"What?" Kendall paused her trek to the sofa, and stared at her sister. "What do you mean?"

"It's terrifying, Sookie," Gran said softly.

"Gran, they're announcing so they can mainstream into society with humans and co-exist with us. I knew they were real!" Sookie's eyes never left the television. Kendall also lost herself in the news story that explained that thanks to a Japanese breakthrough on the invention of synthetic blood the "Vampire Authority" would allow the vampire race to enter society and be known to the public instead of continuing to hide. The synthetic blood would sustain the vampires, thereby deeming it unnecessary to feed on humans and make it easy to live in plain sight. The whole story was completely creepy.

While Sookie and Kendall always had a suspicion of other species thanks to their…"defect", Kendall would have never guessed that one would actually come out to the world and want to _live_ among humans. It seemed like a very dangerous proposal.

"So, have they been living out in Japan, then?" Kendall asked.

"They must have been for the Tru Blood invention to even happen. I wonder how many live in Bon Temps." Sookie asked, finally tossing a grin at her grandmother. Gran shook her head. Kendall finally rose from the sofa and strode toward the kitchen. Her stomach turned a bit with the news of the "Great Revelation" and she wasn't sure she could hold down any food. Gran was right. This was a terrifying idea to take in.


	3. Chapter 3

"Ugh! Jason could have sent me a heads up text!" Sookie said, smacking her hands against the steering wheel of her compact yellow Gremlin. Kendall raised her eyes from the book in her hands and looked out the windshield to spy the Renard Parrish road crew ahead of them on the road. Her twin had forced her to eat a biscuit and jump in the shower just to come down and be halted by road work.

Kendall had at least taken care to look cute, despite Sookie just throwing on clothes and going. The girl barely ever put make up on unless she was going to work because she said she got better tips when she was made up. While Kendall found this to be true, she also found herself to be too girly and into fashion to not dress up when she went out, even if it was down to the supermarket. Sookie was content in a tank top and denim shorts completed with her signature ponytail. Kendall, on the other hand, had curled her blond hair and pinned it partially back in the front. She wore a flaring sundress with a black bodice and floral skirt. The necklace she wore may have caused a tan line if she stayed out too long, but it wasn't anything she wasn't used to.

"Maybe he didn't know what route he was working today," Kendall suggested. The words fell upon deaf ears, as Sookie was already exiting the car to go talk to their brother. Kendall sighed and looked down at her book again. A flash of a shadow across the front of the car caught her attention and she looked up to see Rene coming to her side of the car. He leaned down to talk to her through the open window.

"Hey," he said, his eyes swiftly traveling over her sitting form. "I'm so sorry about last night." Kendall closed her book and looked at him.

"It's fine. You had too much to drink."

"I know. I never drink like that, though." She shrugged a bare shoulder. "I just don't like talking about…"

"I figured. So don't talk about it. Move on."

"I want to."

"Then what's stopping you?"

"You are." A perplexing expression crossed her face and she dared not let her mental guard down with him this time.

"Me? I don't get it, Rene." Sookie interrupted the conversation by getting back into the car. Kendall tossed a glance her way.

"Are you working tonight?" he asked her. She shook her head.

"Nope. We're off today, so we're spending the day in Shreveport and probably getting dinner there too. I don't know when I'll be back."

"Alright, uh, I'll just call ya later. Is that cool?" The corner of Kendall's lips curled upward slightly in a smile.

"Sure." Rene smiled then.

"Cool. Ya'll ladies be careful. Never know what could happen, especially now that vampires are out. Do you believe that?" He seemed to darken all around when he spoke the word of the species.

"Yeah, it's pretty weird. Don't worry. We'll be careful." She waved and Sookie started the car back up.

"Bye, Rene," Sookie added. He stepped back and waved as the car backed up and turned around. Kendall opened her book back up, but she could feel Sookie's curiously fill the cab of the car.

"I don't know. He probably wants to ask me out. I don't know why all of a sudden he seems to like me when he knew me before he started dating Arlene. Maybe she was super easy and you know she's got kids, so he probably found it hard to break it off." Kendall explained.

"I didn't say anything," Sookie said with a laugh. Kendall gave her wicked side eye. "Rene seems like a sweet guy. I just don't want him to hurt you."

"I don't even know that I would say yes if he asked me."

"Why not?"

"Arlene."

"They're done. You said that."

"Yeah, but if we start something, then I have to hear her mouth even more at work once she finds out and I cannot guarantee not snatchin' her up by her ugly red hair." Sookie guffawed and shook her head.

"Stop. Don't let her dictate your life." Kendall was thoughtful before nodding.

* * *

The twins spent most of their respective paychecks at the mall in Shreveport on new clothes and shoes before calling it quits and catching a showing of The Devil Wears Prada at the local theater. The sun had already set when the show let out and the girls decided to find a place for a bite to eat. The girls drove until they saw a strip of businesses, one hosting a bar and grille – not that they could ever get enough of such, and pulled into the lot. Across the way, a large building read "SOLD" and Kendall personally wondered what would go into a run down place such as that.

"Come on. My stomach is about to eat itself." Sookie said, urging her sibling into the restaurant. Kendall followed closely behind and looked around the place upon entry. It wasn't too busy, but it had a nice ambience. The place was dimly lit, and mostly clean from what she could see. "Stop judging," her sister said.

"I wasn't."

"You do every time we come into a place that is kind of like Merlotte's."

"Sorry. It's a habit."

"Good evening, ladies. Would you like a table, or would you like to sit at the bar?" the hostess inside of the door asked. Sookie looked to Kendall for an answer.

"The bar." Sookie suppressed a grin. _So you can judge the bartender._ Kendall shook her head.

"Not true."

"Excuse me?" The hostess asked, pulling two menus from the stand.

"Oh. Nothing. Sorry." The girls followed the hostess to the bar and thanked her before sitting down on the stools. Kendall slid Sookie one of the menus and crossed her legs. A burly hulk of a man approached them from behind the bar, tossing his bar rag over his shoulder.

"Good evening, ladies," he said with a grin. Sookie smiled at him and Kendall stayed focused on the menu.

"Hi!" she said, cheerily.

"Hey," Kendall said.

"What can I make for you?" His voice was a deep sandy inotation, and had a bit of an English accenting. That intrigued Kendall enough to make her look up. It wasn't often that she met someone that wasn't from Louisiana. They locked eyes long enough to make the silence uncomfortable for Sookie, and she lightly cleared her throat.

"Can we have Champagne cocktails, please?" she asked. The bartender's eyes finally flickered away from Kendall's and he nodded in response to Sookie. Kendall let out a light whoosh of air.

"Of course. Have a look at the menus and I'll get your order when I return." He walked away, his broad back retreating and Kendall burning her eyes into it.

"What was that?" Sookie asked.

"What?" The frazzled blond asked, finally able to turn her focus away when the man was out of sight.

"That intensity with you and the bartender." Sookie gazed down at the menu on the counter top.

"Nothing."

"That wasn't…"

"There's nothing. My guard dropped. I didn't mean for it to. But, there was nothing. Darkness and numbness. A tingling, but nothing." Sookie perked up again and turned toward her sister. "I've never felt anything like that before."

"Maybe he's high?"

"I've heard and felt Jason when he's high. And Lafayette."

"Not on weed or pills, I mean. Maybe something else." Kendall considered her suggestion.

"I don't know. It was weird." The girls sat in silence, reading their menus before the enigma of a man returned and slid their champagne flutes in front of them. Kendall's reflexes caused her to sit back as far as she could on her stool without falling off. Sookie smiled as she gave the man her order, but dropped as soon as he turned his attention to Kendall. She could tell that Sook was trying to read the man, but was coming up with the same feeling she had experienced.

"I'll have the Black Jack chicken sandwich. No onions, though. Please." He nodded.

"Alright." He took their menus and strode away again.

"You're right." Sookie said. "How strange, and oddly refreshing." She took a drink from her glass.

"Refreshing?!" Kendall sighed. "Oh, I forgot you don't get the feelings part," she added sarcastically.

"I'm sorry. I don't have the empathy part, you're right. I don't understand this either. But…" she went silent when he came to use the tap in front of them. "Where are you from?" she blurted out to him. His eyes traveled to her and he smiled slightly.

"Ludlow," he answered.

"Where is that?"

"England."

"England. That's so far away." He let go of the tap arm and stepped sideways to give the mug of beer to a nearby patron and then came back to them.

"It is, but my family is here now."

"Oh, well, that's good then."

"Where are you two from? Louisiana, I imagine, but not Shreveport."

"How do you know that?" Kendall asked with a slight sassy tone. He smirked.

"Because everyone from Shreveport has been to this bar and you two haven't. I'd remember, believe me."

"Is that a weird way of hitting on us?"

"If I wanted to hit on you, Love, I would have done it outright." Sookie pursed her lips in an amused grin. "What's your name, darling?" he asked Sookie.

"Sookie," she said, extending her hand.

"I'm Cooper Prescott. Coop for short if you'd like." He shook her hand lightly and then let go. His attention turned to Kendall then. "And your feisty companion?"

"This is my twin sister, Kendall." Kendall did not offer her hand.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, ladies. I would not have guessed twins, though."

"Fraternal," Sookie offered.

"Of course." He smiled genuinely. "Are you indeed from Shreveport?"

"No. Bon Temps. We just came for a shopping day today. We wanted to grab dinner before we drove back."

"Understandable."

"Have you ever been to Bon Temps?" Kendall finally joined the conversation.

"I've been through a few times, but I can't say I've stopped anywhere."

"Well, next time you come through, stop at Merlotte's." Sookie said. Kendall nudged her with an elbow. "Let Kendall repay her stand-offish behavior with a drink on the house." It took him a moment to respond, but he laughed before he did.

"So, Kendall, you're a bartender at Merlotte's then? Or did your sister just ask me out for you?" Kendall felt blood rush to her face and she shot Sookie a death glare before narrowing her eyes at Cooper.

"She was merely inviting you to a superior establishment where you might see how to actually bartend." He leaned on the bar and propped his chin on his hand.

"Do tell." Clearly flustered, Kendall said the only thing that came to mind as he was gazing at her.

"I don't like you."

"I beg to differ." Sookie's eyes widened.

"That was bold. I'm going to use the restroom. Where is it, Coop?" Kendall watched her sister with an expressionless face.

"Down the hall here, to the left." He pointed, and then turned his attention back to Kendall. "If you didn't like me, you wouldn't have blushed so hard."

"I'm fair skinned. I blush at everything," she argued. He stepped closer.

"Maybe I will stop in at Merlotte's and let you teach me a lesson. In bartending, that is…"

"Coop!" a patron at the far end of the bar beckoned and he stood up straight. He simply gave her a look before departing. Kendall shook her head and ran the palms of her hands along the sides of her clothed thighs. She usually wasn't this weird around guys; but then again, she usually knew what she was getting into with them thanks to them loudly transmitting to her. This man was different and she couldn't figure out why.

"Ugh, Sookie," she cursed under her breath. Damn her sister for making her feel super awkward around an incredible looking bartender.

* * *

 _ **ORIGINAL CHARACTER ALERT:**_ Cooper Prescott is portrayed by Tom Hardy!


	4. Chapter 4

Louisiana State University's first game of the season brought all of the sport lovers in Bon Temps to Merlotte's that night; not to mention people passing through off of the interstate that wanted to stop and see the game on the big screen Sam had over the bar. Kendall was exhausted by the third hour of her shift and she stepped out the back door to find Sookie pulling up to park. Kendall sat down on the bench beside of the door and watched her sister get out of the car.

"How is it tonight?" Sookie asked as she slung her purse strap over her shoulder. Kendall smiled.

"You have your best make up on and hopefully your nice perfume. Tips will be good."

"Is Dawn here?"

"Yup. Working the crowd as usual. Don't let her get all your money tonight. Her shorts are shorter than normal. You know, kick off Sunday short." The twins shared a laugh.

"Noted. Is Arlene here?" Kendall motioned to the car pulling up behind Sookie's. Arlene jumped out of the passenger's side and the girls could vaguely see Terry Bellefleur in the driver's seat. He waved to them. Terry was the day-time cook for Merlotte's during the week. Kendall only worked with him occasionally, but he was nice to her, so she didn't have a problem with him. It was terrible that his taste in women was less than exquisite.

"Oh, girls! I thought I was going to be late! Thank God I'm not. Sam would have ripped me a new one." She squawked before running through the back door. Terry pulled away and Sookie shook her head.

"I better get in there." Sookie stated.

"I'll be back inside in a few minutes." Sookie departed from her sister and Kendall crossed her legs to comfortably lean back against the building. She pulled her tips from the pocket of her black denim shorts and counted them. A few patrons at the bar had gotten fresh with her, but she'd simply flirted back and then moved on. That was typically what she had to do to earn her tips. She made a good wage as Sam's second bartender and appreciated that she wasn't bound to the same uniform the waitresses were. Still, she made sure to dress accordingly. Her shorts tonight were short enough to look appealing from the opposite side of the bar. The purple lace up body suit tucked into the shorts was sexy enough to warrant the tips she received. She didn't have to do much, really.

Lafayette perched himself against the door frame and lit a cigarette, inhaling deeply and then exhaling a puff of smoke away from Kendall. She tucked her money back into her pocket.

"There's too many frat boys in here tonight," he stated.

"Kick off Sunday. You know how it goes," she said with a laugh.

"You gonna snatch up one?" Kendall scrunched her nose.

"Not a chance."

"You and Sook gonna wind up twin old maids. What a waste."

"I'd snatch you up if I could," she said with a grin. Kendall stood.

"You couldn't handle all this, girl." Lafayette batted his false eyelashes at her.

"You gonna snatch up one of these pretty frat boys tonight?"

"I just might. Long as they don't pull no Redneck moves." Kendall tapped Lafayette's shoulder.

"You're too good for this town, ya know." He kissed her cheek.

"Get back in there 'fore Sam flips his shit." Kendall nodded and trekked back inside. _The boys are here. Can you get them a pitcher?_ was a thought that invaded her brain as soon as she stepped behind the bar. Her eyes shot up and searched the room until she found Sookie taking orders at a table. She then found her brother's trio at the far end of the bar. Jason's and Hoyt's attention was on the television, but Rene was looking at her. He waved and then looked up at the television too.

Kendall filled a pitcher with the draft beer they liked and brought it to them, setting it down and then retrieving glasses. "How's it going, guys?" she asked.

"Same as usual," Jason answered, not bringing his eyes from the television. "Come on!" he shouted. She looked up at the TV to see a totally different game on, but there was a former football player in her brother. It didn't matter who was playing. He got into whatever game was on.

"You look nice, Kendall," Hoyt said, pouring himself a beer. Rene shot him a look before looking at Kendall.

"Thanks, Hoyt." She locked eyes with Rene, who seemed to be battling internally with something. "Did you guys order already?"

"Yeah, Sookie took our orders," Rene answered.

"Okay, cool," she started to turn away.

"Did you have fun in Shreveport yesterday?" The blond paused.

"Oh, yeah. Thanks for asking. Blew my whole paycheck, just about. But, hey, what else was I gonna use it for?" Rene smiled.

"Hey, Kendall?" Arlene said, walking behind the bar. Kendall's eyes shifted toward the woman and Rene watched the two of them, his brows furrowing.

"Yeah?"

"Do you know how to make an…" she looked the order ticket in her hand, "Old-Fashioned?" Kendall stared at the woman for a second.

"An Old-Fashioned? Who in the blue blazes of hell ordered that?" Arlene motioned to the opposite end of the bar, toward the game room.

"He did," she said, pointing to a man in a worn LSU baseball cap and a tee-shirt. He smiled and waved to Kendall. She instantly recognized Cooper and walked away from Arlene.

"Hello, Love." Cooper said. "This is a nice establishment."

"An Old-Fashioned?"

"What about it?"

"Are you serious?" Cooper tried not to smile.

"Oh. Can you not make it?" He waved dismissively. "It's okay. Only…seasoned bartenders can truly get it right anyway." Kendall pressed her hands against the bar and tilted her head slightly.

"You think you're pretty funny, don't you?"

"Well, I've been told I'm pretty entertaining…"

"Someone lied."

"Hi, Coop!" Sookie called, coming to his side. He turned on the stool to look at her.

"Hello, Sookie! It's nice to see you again. I took your advice and stopped in. Your sister is being resistant to my drink request though." He let out a laugh.

"Well, had you ordered a beer or a shot or even scotch like a normal person, I'd be thrilled to fill your request." Kendall fought.

"What did you order? Sam could probably make it if Kendall doesn't know how." Sookie declared.

"I know how to make it. It takes forever and we don't have all of the ingredients."

"I only ordered it to see her reaction," Cooper said. Kendall stared at him. Sookie laughed.

"Tread lightly, bud," she said, clapping his shoulder and taking off to continue her work. Cooper enlaced his fingers together on the counter and looked at Kendall.

"I'll just take your best beer recommendation, alright?"

"Over your head?"

"Preferably in a bottle." She eyed him, but moved to get him a beer.

* * *

"Who is that guy you were talking to at the bar? He's cute." Dawn asked Sookie at the kitchen window. Sookie turned sideways to look at her.

"His name is Cooper. He works at a restaurant in Shreveport. Ken and I met him last night. We told him to stop by next time he was passing through. They were flirty." Arlene came to the window to get her order.

"Who was flirty?" she asked, wanting in on the gossip.

"Kendall and Cooper."

"Who is Cooper?"

"The man at the bar that's giving her a hard time."

"I bet he wants to give her a _hard_ time," Dawn said with a laugh. "I thought Rene had asked her out." Arlene quizzically glanced Dawn's way. Sookie gave Dawn a slight shake of her head.

"Rene was going to ask Kendall out?" Arlene asked.

"Oh. Uh, I don't know. I might have misheard. It might have been Hoyt." Lafayette came to the window.

"It's definitely Rene, girl. You ain't got no right gettin' jealous now. You stepped out on him. Leave him alone." he said, handing Dawn a basket of food. Arlene walked away. Sookie and Dawn looked at Lafayette. "Look, I'll fight her." Dawn laughed and left the window.

"She's gettin' on better with the guy she met last night." Sookie said. "Even though I can tell she's trying to fight it."

"What guy?"

"He was bartending at the restaurant we stopped at in Shreveport. She kind of likes him though. I can tell."

"I gotta see this man." Sookie shook her head.

"Don't embarrass her!" He came out of the kitchen.

"Child, calm yourself."

* * *

Lafayette came behind the bar and got himself a shot of whiskey. Kendall stepped up beside him and looked at the glass. "Excuse you," she said, refilling the pitcher for her brother.

"Excuse you. Keepin' me all dried up back there." She rolled her eyes. "So I hear there's a man I need to be checkin' out."

"What?"

"From Shreveport."

"Jesus Christ." She let go of the tap arm and returned the pitcher back to her brother. "Who said that?" Kendall asked, slinging her bar rag over her shoulder and coming back to Lafayette's side. The two of them leaned back against the back wall opposite of the bar.

"The girls were gossiping. Dawn thought he was cute."

"Of course she did. I don't have much respect for someone who thinks my brother is cute, though." Lafayette laughed.

"She's got taste though. Sookie called her off."

"O…kay."

"Which one is he?" He took a drink from his glass and casually looked around.

"LSU cap at the end of the bar." Lafayette found the man and let out a low 'mhmm'. "What?"

"You better snatch that up."

"I don't even like him. He annoys the shit out of me."

"And that means he can pound the shit out of you." She gasped and Lafayette laughed as he walked toward Cooper.

"Stop," she snapped in a whisper. "Oh, hell." Lafayette leaned on the counter in front of Cooper and Coop looked at him with a smile.

"How you doin'?" Kendall stood beside Lafayette.

"I'm well. How are you?"

"Doin' good. Doin' good. Haven't seen you in here before."

"That's because it's his first time. Lafayette, this is Cooper. Cooper, this is Lafayette. He cooks the wonderful food here and should probably get back to the kitchen before John burns it down." Lafayette smirked and stood up straight.

"Nice to meet you, Cooper." He turned to Kendall. "He damn sexy. Rene gonna have to step up his game." Kendall pushed him out of the bar area.

At the same time, a man dressed in what looked like a delivery uniform came through the front door with a two-wheeler of boxes stacked on it. It seemed to bring a hush over the crowd in Merlotte's and Kendall had to look around to see what was happening. The boxes were labeled with the 'Tru Blood' label and design, but that seemed less troubling than the delivery man. Kendall knew that almost everyone in the bar was curious if the man bringing the synthetic blood also ingested it.

"Hello," he said to her. She stepped toward the front of the bar.

"Hi. What can I help you with?"

"I've got a delivery for Sam…Merlotte?" She nodded.

"Hold on. I'll get him." Kendall jogged off to grab Sam from his office. "You didn't tell us you were ordering Tru Blood," she said to him as the two walked back out toward the quiet dining room.

"I was going to. It slipped my mind. I figured it was the best thing to do since the Revelation. Just in case." Sam left her side to intercept the delivery and Kendall paused by her brother who was pushing his food basket away and stretching backward on the stool.

"Tru Blood. Damn," Jason said with a shake of his head. "This is really happening."

"It appears that way." Hoyt got off of his stool and laid money on the counter. "I'm gonna head out, guys," he said.

"You scared that dude is one of them?" Jason asked.

"No. I'm tired." He waved and sauntered off, taking care to bypass the delivery man by as much distance as possible. Kendall cleared his trash and put his money away.

"Hey, Ken. Can I talk to you for a second?" Rene asked, standing from his stool. She came to him and let him lead her to the hallway where the restrooms were. "Can we go out Friday?"

"This Friday?" He nodded. "I work."

"Oh. Right. Well, whatever the next night you have off is." She studied him for a moment. "You can let me know, if you want to."

"Yeah. Let me look at the schedule again and I'll let you know what the next day I'm off is. We can go out then."

"Yeah?" She smiled.

"Yeah."

"Cool." Kendall started to walk around him, nudged him playfully with her arm and returned to the dining room. The place had come to life again with conversation and she could see that the delivery man was gone. Sam was stocking the cooler with the new Tru Blood bottles. She was both curious and wary about them.

"This is such a weird thing to see." She picked up the bottle carefully, as if it would bite her if she moved too quickly.

"Well, hopefully there's not too big of a demand for it, but I'd rather be safe than sorry." Sam noted. Kendall nodded and put it back down. She returned to the bar to check on her customers, finally coming to Cooper again. He was in the middle of putting money down for his drink.

"Leaving so soon?" she asked, taking the money he picked up to hand her.

"I have to. My dad called. He needs help with some construction stuff."

"So you're a bartender and work in construction?"

"The construction is kind of a special project." He smiled and leaned over the bar. Cooper laid a kiss to her cheek. "Thanks for the lesson in beer." With that, he was out the front door and disappearing into the night. Kendall shook her head and picked up the bottle.

"The lesson in the beer you didn't even drink ya giant jerk." She sighed and dumped the liquid down the drain.


	5. Chapter 5

Imagine a cool, breezy night. The stars are shining above the town and people are taking advantage of the decent weather. The smell of campfire lingers in the airm and there's a certain lightheartedness to all of it despite the recent events of the Great Revelation. People were afraid, understandably. But had it really sunk in that a once mythical creature had really come to light to be, indeed, real? No. Not just yet.

Not even to Kendall Stackhouse and Rene Lenier who strolled hand in hand along the street in downtown Bon Temps did it seem real. They'd had dinner at Maison de Paris, a French restaurant in the historical district. It was a vast difference from the bar food the two of them were used to. Kendall enjoyed herself, especially when Rene tried to teach her a few French words and she more or less butchered the pronunciation. He didn't seem to mind and laughed with her.

"Ooh!" Kendall said, halting suddenly at the windowed store front of Tara's Togs. Rather than let their arms yank, Rene paused with her and looked up at the dress on the mannequin she was pointing at. "That is cute."

"So get it." She tossed him a look for a moment. "You'd look amazing in that, Chére." Kendall smiled and pulled him inside of the store.

"Welcome to…Kendall!" Tara jogged over from the counter. Tara Thornton had gone to school with the twins and had been quite a good friend to them, though she fell more to the side of Sookie most of the time. She and Sookie had been inseparable for a long time. Tara pulled Kendall into a short hug.

"Hi, Tara. Tell me, that purple dress in the window. Do you have my size?" Tara quickly glanced toward Rene before smiling at Kendall.

"Ah, my Priscilla Cocktail dress. I do. It's brand new. Go ahead in a room and I'll bring it to you."

"Thanks. Oh, you know Rene, right?"

"I do. Nice to see you, Rene." Tara said before trekking off.

"You too." Kendall grinned and pulled her date toward the dressing rooms.

"I'll make it quick."

"Take your time. I don't have anywhere to be but here with you." She paused to look at him and then guided him by the shoulders to a sitting position in the chair outside of the rooms.

"One day, we might be doing this again and I'm gonna be taking too long. You're gonna be cursing me and I'll remind you of this moment and then you'll curse the day you said such a sweet thing." He looked up at her and shook his head.

"You considerin' that we'd be doin' this again makes me too happy to even think about cursing anything." She ran her fingers through his short, spiked curls and turned away when Tara came to give her the dress.

"Thanks." She tossed Rene a look over her shoulder. "Be right back," and then she disappeared into a dressing room. The man looked around the unoccupied store as Tara went back to the central desk.

"You stayin' open later now?" he asked her. She eyed him for a second.

"For the fangers, you mean? Hell no. 10pm and I'm out. I ain't doin' anything to cater to them." Rene held his hands up defensively.

"Just askin'."

"What kind of world is this?" He shrugged. "Vampires." Tara scoffed. They both heard the dressing room door open.

"I need someone to zip me up," Kendall said. Rene stood up before Tara could even offer her professional assistance. He stepped inside of the room and let the door shut slightly behind him. His fingers found the silver zipper at the small of her back, but he paused to look at the tattoo on her skin. "What's wrong?"

"I was lookin' at your ink," he said, pulling the zipper up.

"Oh. It's a faerie." Rene looked over her shoulder in the full length mirror they stood in front of. She adjusted the dress once it was completely on.

"Beautiful."

"The faerie?" Rene laughed.

"No, well, yes. I meant you, though." His hand lightly found the curve of her waist. "I told you you'd look amazing in it." Kendall smiled softly and gazed at him through the mirror.

"You guys doin' okay in there?" Tara called, interrupting their moment. Kendall laughed and stepped out of the dressing room. "Damn, girl! You wear that dress!" Rene leaned against the door frame and held the door open while Kendall did a runway walk through the store. She and Tara laughed, the way they had when they were constantly hanging out in high school.

"I'm gonna take it!"

"Yes you are!" Tara pointed matter-of-factly at her.

"You were pretty confident that I was going to love it, weren't you?"

"I know my clients, but I sure as shit know my girls. Purple's always been your favorite color. It represents royalty, ya know." Kendall laughed harder and moved back toward the dressing room, turning her back to Rene and momentarily resting her body against his. She pulled her hair to the side and then stood up straight.

"I'm such a queen, huh? Unzip, please?" Rene let go of the door and Kendall caught it while he unzipped the dress. She looked seductively over her shoulder. "Thanks." He shook his head and exited the room. Rene joined Tara at the desk and proceeded to pay for the dress before Kendall could come out of the room.

After a couple of minutes, the blond brought the dress to the counter on its hanger and laid it down. She found her purse and pulled her wallet from it. Tara held up her hand.

"It's already been taken care of," Tara stated, taking the dress and placing it in a garment bag. Kendall was confused for a moment.

"What?"

"It's taken care of." Kendall looked between Tara and Rene before she figured out what was going on. Her eyes rested on Rene.

"You didn't." He shrugged. "Oh my gosh, why? I can't let you pay for that."

"You didn't let me. I didn't ask."

"Rene…"

"Just wear it on our next date?" He took the bag from Tara and slung it over a shoulder with one hand, reaching out for hers with his free one. Kendall smiled and shook her head. Her attention went to Tara.

"Thanks for the help, Tara. Get home safe." She grabbed Rene's hand and let him lead her to the door.

"Night y'all," she hollered with a wave. The couple disappeared through the door.

"You didn't have to do that, ya know." Kendall said as she and Rene walked the way back to his car. He let out a chuckle.

"If I had to, I probably wouldn't have. Do I have to have a reason to do somethin' nice for you?" She thought for a moment. If she wanted to be the blunt asshole she could be, she might have said that she hoped he didn't expect something in return. If she let her guard down and let herself into his mind, she would know instantly what he expected from her. She dared not do either. Rene had been nothing but kind and charming to her all evening – in fact, he'd been that way the whole time they'd known each other, except for the one instance of his over drinking and even then he hadn't been that bad.

"No. Sorry. I'm just not used to guys doin' things like that." He nodded.

"I noticed you don't seem to date much."

"Have you?"

"I mean, I might have asked Jason if you had a boyfriend before I asked you out. I didn't think you did and he told me that you and Sookie don't like to date much." She shrugged a shoulder. "Why?"

"When you work all the time in Merlotte's and get hit on constantly by idiots, it's kind of hard to pick a good one out of them, you know?" She lied. The problem that she and Sookie shared was that they heard the thoughts of their boyfriends and more often than not, those thoughts ended dates and relationships before they even got started. It was only amplified for Kendall because not only did she hear the thoughts, she got the waves of emotions.

"I'm sorry you have to deal with that."

"Pays the bills." He was momentarily thoughtful.

"Why'd you quit the bank?"

"They wouldn't give me a fair wage for all the shit I was doing. I was a teller, but doing the job of a branch manager."

"Ah." They stopped at Rene's car and he pulled the passenger door open for her. However, before she could get in, he lightly grabbed her elbow to halt her. "What about that one guy?" She paused and looked at him curiously.

"What guy?"

"At the bar the other night. The dude with the LSU hat. Looked pretty friendly with you."

"I met him in Shreveport. He's just a fellow bartender. He stopped by to scope Merlotte's." She smiled and piled herself in and prepared for the drive to her house. Rene shut the door and moved to put her dress in the car, but he didn't buy her slightly deflective answer.

Kendall kept Rene amused with live 90s rock karaoke on the way back to her house. The drive seemed shorter than it actually was. He walked her to the door, handing off her garment bag and giving her a light hearted "goodnight". She pulled him back and planted a soft kiss to his lips before releasing him. He seemed happier to leave the porch then, basically hopping down the steps. Kendall laughed and went inside the house.

"Gran?" she called, pulling off her heels.

"Kitchen, sweetheart." Her grandmother called. Kendall padded barefoot into the room and smiled at her grandmother. The older lady sat in her usual spot at the kitchen table with her latest novel.

"Waiting for Sookie?"

"Just reading," Gran smiled.

"Uh huh." Gran was always at the kitchen table at night waiting for them to return safely from work.

"How was your date?"

"It was good."

"You like him?"

"He's decent." Kendall said, turning to exit the kitchen. "I'm gonna go for a walk. I won't be gone long."

"Alright." She wandered up to her room to hang up her garment bag and trade out her heels for her sneakers. Sookie came in rather loudly and riled up from work. Kendall came down the stairs to greet her.

"How was work?" she asked as Sookie crossed from the dining room into the foyer.

"There's a vampire bar opening in Shreveport!" her twin shouted, grabbing her upper arms.

"A what?"

"A vampire bar!" Kendall shook her head and pulled from Sookie's grasp.

"What is wrong with you?"

"What do you mean?"

"Why are you excited about that?"

"I'm just curious about them. Aren't you?"

"Not really. They're dead. They eat humans. I'm good, Sook." Kendall bypassed her sister and went out the front screen door.

"Where are you going?"

"For a walk." She kept going, ignoring the curiosity of her sister that prodded at her psyche. Why was Sookie so excited about vampires? Did she not understand the damage that could be done? They knew nothing about the creatures. Was there truth to the lore that had been spawned over thousands of years? No human knew; at least none in Bon Temps that she had met.

Only a few minutes passed before she was walking into the dark Bon Temps cemetery that sat between the Stackhouse home and the abandoned Compton manor. Normally, one would think it was a scary scenario – visiting the graveyard at night, but not Kendall. She'd done it many times before and she always felt at home, oddly enough. Perhaps it was because her ancestors were buried there, and her parents.

It was their headstones she sought. Not caring if the pants of her jeans got dampened by the lush grass, she sat down and looked back and forth at the graves. "I suppose from wherever you're watching us, you know what's happening. I don't even know what to think or do. Everything is going to change, isn't it?" Uncertainty brought a sigh from her lips.

Kendall fell silent, just letting herself go into a tranquil state as she listened to the crickets and sounds of the night around her. It wasn't until she felt a tingling sensation at the edge of her mind that she became alert again. Her body tensed up and she moved to her knees, looking around the immediate location. The only other time she had experienced such a feeling was with Cooper and there was no way that he was there. He wasn't stalking her, was he?

Then she saw it; _him_. A tall figure at the line of trees that lined the graveyard. If she hadn't felt the uneasiness, and been alarmed, she would have mistaken him for one of the statues. Tall, dark clothes that only made his neck and face stand out among the dark night. His hair was light as well, and fell around his face. Kendall stood up and the tingling sensation turned into a deep feeling of desire. A desire for what? She felt the urge to run and it intensified the longer she stared at the figure.

The figure never moved, yet seemed to manipulate her to feel an overwhelming sense of fear. Kendall couldn't control herself long enough to put her block up, but instead, turned and ran. She couldn't remember running as fast as she did in that moment. She tripped going up the stairs of the porch and busted her knee open beneath the denim of her jeans. She slammed and locked the door behind herself, startling Sookie who sat in the living room.

"Kendall?" Immediately, her sister was at her side and Kendall was pulling from her and trying to escape up the staircase. "Stop. What's wrong? What happened?"

"Nothing." Sookie grabbed Kendall's arm and gasped, gaining access to the memory of the moment that had just occurred. Kendall shoved her away and ran up the stairs.

"Kendall! Are you okay?" The bedroom door shut in Sookie's face and Kendall sat on the edge of her bed, still shaking from the rush of fear and adrenaline coursing through her body. Sookie waited a minute and then came in. "Answer me. Are you okay? I can't read you."

"I'm fine." Sookie assessed her sister before kneeling in front of her.

"You did something to your leg."

"I tripped on the steps. I'll take care of it in a second."

"Did he chase you?" Kendall shivered.

"I don't think so."

"I'll call Jason and have him stay over tonight." Sookie was moving out of the room before Kendall could protest. She shakily stood up and peeled her jeans down to look at the wound on her leg.

"Shit," she said, wadding with her pants around her ankles to the bathroom adjacent to her room. Kendall grabbed the first aid kit she kept. She sat on the closed toilet lid and cleaned up the cut. Sookie came back in.

"He's on his way over."

"What?"

"Jason. He's on his way over." Kendall's coherency came back and she looked up at her sister.

"You know he's gonna go out hunting for who ever it was."

"He's a crack shot. Better safe than sorry." With a quirk of her brow, Kendall pushed her attention back to her knee as she placed butterfly bandages across the cut. Right. Better safe than sorry, but how safe could they be?


	6. Chapter 6

A scream pierced the veil of silence that afternoon and Sookie came running up the stairs and into Kendall's room. Gran was behind her, albeit it would take her a bit longer to get there. Jason had come and gone, keeping the house safe that night and taking off after breakfast to spend his day asleep or causing some kind of _Jason_ branded trouble.

Kendall was sitting up in her bed sobbing, though she looked straight through her twin sister when Sookie sat down beside her to try to calm her. "It's okay, Gran. She's having a nightmare."

"Are you sure?" their grandmother was concerned and rightfully so. "I haven't heard her scream like that. Ever."

"It's like when we were kids after mom and dad died. She'll be okay in a second." Gran reluctantly exited the room and Sookie placed her hands on Kendall's arms. "Kendall. You're fine. You're at home. You're safe." Kendall shook her head.

"It's not that!"

"Then what's wrong?" Kendall leaned toward Sookie and stared at her intently with tear stained cheeks and blood shot eyes. Sookie was admittedly a bit scared at the moment. She never saw Kendall look at her this way. This was different than the night terrors the girl had experienced after the funeral of their parents.

"They were so scared. They didn't know what was happening. The feeling…the sickening…" Kendall jumped from her bed and ran into her bathroom to vomit in the open toilet. Sookie scrunched her nose and watched Kendall flush the mess and then close the lid.

"I don't know what's happening…" Kendall shook her head and pushed her hair back.

"I don't know. Something doesn't feel right."

"Maybe you're still shaken about last night. Jason said you were talking in your sleep, but he couldn't really make out what you were saying." Kendall finally stood to brush her teeth.

"What time is it?"

"Almost four. Do you want me to call you in sick so you can rest?"

"No. The last thing I want to do is stay cooped up in here. I'm fine." Sookie watched the older of the two of them. It was like a switch had been thrown. A minute ago, Kendall was a blubbering mess and now she seemed her old self. Was this some sort of triggered PTSD brought on by the episode of the previous night? The thought to suggest seeing a psychologist came to Sookie's mind. "Nope. Not doing that," Kendall said through the toothpaste in her mouth.

"Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yes. I'm going to grab a shower and get ready for work." Hesitantly, Sookie left her sister to prepare for work.

* * *

Dressed in a pair of black skinny jeans, black and white striped halter top, and red heels, Kendall joined her grandma and sister downstairs, pausing in the foyer to look at the mirror and apply her ruby red lipstick. The sound of a local news story on the television played and Kendall tried to latch onto it as she set her lipstick tube down and adjusted the black wrap that kept her retro ponytail styled. "What is that?"

"There were two bodies found," Sookie said somberly. Kendall came to the edge of the living room and looked at the television.

"What?"

"Two bodies. Two teenage girls found mauled at the edge of town. Sheriff Dearbourne thinks it was a panther that came down." Kendall's stomach turned a bit.

"Are you feelin' better, hon?" her Gran asked. She forced a smile.

"Yeah. Sorry for scarin' you. I haven't had a nightmare in a while. I guess I was due for one."

"I'll have some chamomile tea waiting for you tonight."

"Thanks, Gran. Sookie, you ready to go?" Sookie stood up and retrieved her purse.

"Bye Gran," Sookie called going out the front door at the same time the television news story seemed to pick up in volume. The last thing Kendall heard was a pushy reporter ask Bud Dearbourne about the two puncture wounds on the body of one of the girls. She forced herself out the door and to Sookie's car to go to her shift at Merlotte's, trying to banish the image of such from her mind.

* * *

Kendall worked robotically that night, blocking out everything she could. Regulars came in and chatted about their days and the newest gossip of the dead girls found at the edge of town. People passing through stopped in and paid her no mind for the most part. Sam had to throw out a few teenage boys who thought it was okay to grab Dawn's behind. It was almost a typical night until Cooper came through the door.

He was without a hat tonight. His brown hair was close cropped but spiked up as though he'd just taken a handful of gel and ran it through. He wore a white t-shirt and worn jeans and for the first time, Kendall noticed the tattoos on his arm and the ones creeping from under the neckline of his shirt. He smiled at her when he sat at the center of the bar.

"You look gorgeous," he said. Kendall's blank expression barely broke. He seemed a bit put off by her reaction. "Are you all right?"

"Are you stalking me?" Cooper laughed.

"On the contrary, I made a special trip here before my shift this evening."

"Why?"

"To ask you to join me for a night out." To say she was caught off guard by his admission was an understatement. Then, she remembered the previous night. Not only had she gone on a successful date with Rene, but she'd had the event at the graveyard. The event that started with the tingling sensation in her mind; the same sensation she'd experienced with Cooper.

"Are you serious?"

"Quite." Against her better judgment, she let her guard down long enough to pull at his mind once more. She was so afraid to receive the nothingness she'd felt before.

 _...never seen someone look so stunning. She could quite possibly be dressed up for some bloke and here I am asking her to go…_

Kendall smiled. The thoughts were there. No scary sensations. Doubts in his mind, but there was _something_. A slow smile spread on Cooper's face as he watched Kendall.

"Okay," she said.

"Okay? You will, then?"

"Yeah. I'm off on Saturday night. Are you?" He nodded. He took his phone out of his pocket and flipped it around to her.

"Will you put your number in my phone?" Kendall took his phone and proceeded to put her number in it.

"Kendall! Pitcher!" Jason called walking through the door in front of Hoyt and Rene. Her attention momentarily left the phone and went to her brother. Would they ever get tired of coming in? The answer, she already knew. Her eyes met Rene's briefly, until he shifted his away to size up Cooper. She lightly shook her head and handed Cooper his phone back. For a second, she felt like a slut. Of course, she wasn't, she knew that. She wasn't sleeping around and she wasn't exclusive with Rene, but she felt like she was betraying him. However, her initial meeting with Cooper had been holding her at arm's length from him. This new discovery of him today erased the hesitation.

"Well, he's rude," Cooper said, watching Jason. Kendall laughed.

"That's my brother. He was never house broken." Coop smiled again and turned his eyes on Kendall.

"I better get going. I'll give you a ring soon." He motioned with his phone before standing and putting it back into his pocket.

"Have a good night, Coop."

"You as well, Kendall." She watched him leave. Biting her lip, she turned to get her brother's pitcher of beer. She carefully walked it to their table and set it down.

"You're welcome, asshat," she said pulling Jason's hat from his head and swatting him with it. He snatched it from her hand and pulled it back on.

"Are you feeling better?" Rene seemed to perk up at the conversation and let concern crease his brow.

"Yeah. I'm fine." No doubt Jason had run his mouth to the guys about his night before they got there. Normally, it would have been at work, but seeing as how the road crew hadn't worked that day, there was no time to do it then.

"Don't go out without someone after dark anymore. Especially since the bodies…"

"It's fine. I'm fine." She snapped and walked away. Rene got up from the table and jogged after her, tapping her before she went back behind the bar.

"Ken," she turned to look at him. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"I'm good, Rene. It was probably just some weird hobo I saw." He shook his head. "I don't want to talk about it."

"Kay. But, I'm here for you. I won't let anything happen to you." She hugged him, immediately feeling his lust toward her. It was controlled this time, but she could feel it and remembered that she wasn't focused.

"Thanks." she let go of him and it cut the empathy off just like that. "I'm gonna…" she motioned to the bar. He nodded and let her walk away.


	7. Chapter 7

"What do you think about ribs?" Sookie asked as the girls perused the grocery aisles of the Super Save-A-Bunch. Kendall pretended to gag, which caused Sookie to roll her eyes. "Sometimes, I question whether or not you're an alien. You can't be a real southerner."

"I don't like the idea of biting into something and maybe scraping my teeth on a bone," Kendall shivered at the thought. "That's why chicken nuggets are safe."

"And disgusting."

"I will fight you."

"Okay, Lafayette." Kendall shook her head.

"Get ribs, if you want. I think Jason likes them. I'll get a steak or something. Ribs feed more people anyway. Everyone said they were comin' over, right?" Sookie smiled and nodded.

"Yep. I'm stoked that I could talk Sam into closing Merlotte's on a Sunday. It's football day."

"I don't think it has anything to do with his crush on you," Kendall said, walking down the way to retrieve a canned good.

"What?"

"Nothing." Jason turned into the aisle with the cart he was pushing. Kendall stared at him for a moment.

"What?" he asked innocently. They both looked at all of the alcohol he'd put into the buggy.

"Plan on gettin' everyone knackered, do ya?"

"Hey, whatever's left I can take home."

"Jase, I'm doin' ribs, is that good?" Sookie asked.

"That's fucking amazin', Sook." He turned to Kendall then. "What are you going to eat?"

"Steak, probably."

"T-bone?" He smirked.

"I'll murder you." She dropped the can of beans into the cart Sookie was controlling and halted when she heard her phone ringing. She flipped it open and pressed it to her ear. "Hello?"

"Hello, Princess." Cooper said.

"Hello, Frog." she retorted. He laughed, with a snort she thought she heard ahead of it.

"Does that mean you'll kiss me so I can become your prince?"

"Don't make me throw up." Sookie and Jason traded curious glances before continuing their shopping. Kendall slowed her pace behind them.

"I wanted to ask you something."

"Ask away."

"Do you like to dance?"

"Yes."

"Fantastic. Can I come pick you up around 9 Saturday?"

"Of course. I'll text you my address."

"I look forward to seeing you, Kendall. Good evening."

"Always the proper gentleman. Goodnight, Cooper." She snapped her phone closed and dropped it back in her purse. Sookie stopped the cart and leaned on it, looking at her sister.

"Was that Cooper?" she asked with a smile.

"Who's Cooper?" Jason asked.

"Yes, it was Cooper," Kendall said toward Sookie. She looked toward her brother next. "A guy we met in Shreveport."

"Is he coming over?" Sookie asked.

"Eavesdrop much?" Kendall nodded. "Only to pick me up Saturday night."

"Oooh a date!"

"Wait, you're going on a date with some guy you met in Shreveport?" Jason asked. "Why am I just now hearing about this?"

"Um, well Dad," Kendall said with an arched brow.

"I thought you and Rene were dating."

"We went on one date."

"And you're on to someone else? Did you tell him?"

"Rene and I aren't exclusive, Jason. I didn't think I had to tell him. And I still like him. I'd go out with him again if he asked." Jason shook his head. "Don't. Don't try to shame me, Mr. Manwhore."

"Jason, you should be happy that Kendall's found two great guys to even spend her time on. You know how hard dating is for the two of us." Sookie defended.

"Rene's my best friend," he argued.

"I understand your protectiveness, but I'm not doing anything wrong." Kendall stated, urging them to continue along to wrap up their shopping trip.

"Can I meet him?"

"What?" she asked with a laugh.

"I want to meet this guy."

"So you can make things awkward, sure."

"I'm your big brother. It's my job to make your boyfriends feel awkward."

"He's picking me up Saturday around 9."

"Wait, I have plans Saturday night."

"Oh, damn! Guess you'll have to meet him some other time then." Sookie laughed and pulled Kendall along.

* * *

It was unusually quiet in Merlotte's the next afternoon. Then again, Kendall wasn't used to working during the day time. And, she certainly wasn't used to working with Arlene and Terry together. Terry did well to stay in the kitchen, but the problem was, Arlene was doing well to stay at the kitchen window to flirt and chat with him while Kendall had to do all of the prep work for the lunch rush and the oncoming evening. Sam was stocking the bar and a few glances his way showed Kendall how amused he was at her shooting daggers out of her eyes at Arlene.

She leaned over a table to wipe it down and sighed, reaching back to pull her shorts down. Because she'd picked up an afternoon waitress shift, she was subject to the uniform. "Samuel, this uniform shit is for the birds. This is not comfortable on big butts." She heard Sam laugh as the door opened. "I hate you."

A hand rested on her lower back and she stood up straight before she felt the familiarity of Rene. "Jesus! Don't do that."

"Sorry _,_ Chère," he smiled and held up a flower for her. She smirked and took it.

"Did you deface Merlotte's property for this?" He shrugged. "Thank you." She tucked it behind her ear. "Here for lunch?"

"Yeah. Can you take a break with me?" She motioned to the dining room.

"I don't know, Rene. I'm pretty busy with all of these other customers." He looked around to find nobody and then smiled. "I will. What do you want for lunch? I'll go put your order in."

"Uhhh just a burger is fine. Fries." She nodded and went back toward the kitchen.

"Terry, can I have the House burger and fries please?" Arlene looked irritated to see her. "What?"

"Nothing."

"Why are you giving me a dirty look?"

"I didn't know I was."

"Oh, it's just your face then?" Terry snickered and Arlene shot a dirty look at him that cut him off immediately.

"Aren't you screwing around with that LSU guy?" Kendall tilted her slightly.

"Since when do you care who I'm screwing around with?" Arlene nervously let her eyes shoot sideways toward the dining room. "It's not your business. You can stay out of my personal life."

"You bring your personal life to work." Kendall stepped back.

"I do?!" she motioned to Terry. "You can't get off Terry's cock long enough to do your damn job today." Arlene opened her mouth to say something, but Terry stepped forward to break up a potential fight at the same time Sam came around the corner.

"What's going on?" Sam asked.

"Arlene is suddenly giving a shit about something that has nothing to do with her." Kendall walked away, going to the bar to get Rene a sweet tea. She came to his table and set it down before pulling a chair over to the booth and sitting at the edge of it, rather than across from him.

"Are you okay?" he asked, looking her over and then looking beyond her when Sam and Arlene emerged from the back hall.

"Yeah. How's work going?"

"Better than yours seems to be. Should I leave?"

"No." She took hold of his hand on the table. It felt rough against her smooth one; the price of working with his hands – even if he wore gloves most of the time.

"I don't want to cause trouble where you work."

"You're not. It's not my problem, or yours. It's hers." Kendall leaned toward him. "I like when you come in." Rene mirrored her movement.

"You do?"

"Yeah…you tip me so well." This caused him to laugh and lay his head on his arm for a second.

"How you gonna do me like that?" He raised his head and leaned close to her again. "Can I?" The woman hesitated momentarily. She felt slightly wrong, as if she was leading Rene on but the fact of the matter was, she did truly have an interest in him. The problem was that she also had an interest in Cooper. Did she tell Rene? Did she wait to see how the date with Cooper went?

After what felt like forever in her thoughts but was really only a few seconds of contemplating, she nodded. Rene's lips pressed against hers and she did her best to keep her shield up. She wasn't ready to hear every thought he had about her; about this moment. She could guess what he was thinking. She wasn't sure she could take the emotion either. He already broadcasted pretty loudly when she was caught off guard.

The sound of a rowdy bunch coming in broke them apart and she turned her head to look at the patrons who took a seat at a nearby table. Her attention found Rene again.

"I better actually do something."

"Let Arlene," he lightly ran his thumb over the back of her hand. She could have forced Arlene to take the table and stayed there with Rene, but she'd once again disappeared. Odds were great that she'd witnessed the shared kiss and walked away pouting about her ex no longer pining after her.

"I'm the lead," she leaned over to give him shortened kiss again. "I'll bring your food when it's done." Standing she shook their hands and he reluctantly let go of hers with a chuckle. "You're coming to the cook out on Sunday, right?"

"You'll be there?"

"Well, it's at my house, so…"

"Then I'll be there."


	8. Chapter 8

The house was quiet as she padded through, carrying her nude heels with her as she went. Crickets and the sound of night could be heard through the open windows and front screen door, as darkness had already set in. Her sister had long gone to work, wishing her a happy date night beforehand. Kendall wondered where her Gran was as she wandered into the living room, but seeing her silhouette through the front windows let her know that the woman was outside on the porch swing. She slipped her shoes on, taking one last look at herself in the foyer mirror before proceeding through the front entrance.

"Gran?" her grandmother looked at her as she joined the elder on the swing.

"My, don't you look beautiful?" Adele Stackhouse smiled at her granddaughter. "Another date with Rene?"

"Oh. No. This is a date with a man named Cooper. I met him in Shreveport a little while ago." Adele looked perplexed.

"Did things go sour with Rene?"

"No. I'm just going on a date with Cooper."

"You're dating two men at once? Kendall."

"Not exclusively. Neither of them are officially my boyfriend, Gran. If that happens, I'm a faithful and proper lady. Don't you worry." Adele smiled softly. The two of them looked out over the yard, taking in the calming night air. It was only a matter of minutes before they were watching a dark Chevrolet corvette pull up the driveway. The top was down and once it was under the light of the lamp post, Kendall could see Cooper in the driver's seat.

"That's a very nice car he drives." Gran noted. Kendall nodded.

"Yeah. I didn't picture him as a corvette driver. I had him pegged more for a four by four with an extended cab or something. Silly me." Cooper got out of the car and approached the porch, smiling as he did. "Nice car," Kendall called.

"Thank you," he said, turning to face her and her grandmother.

"No truck?"

"No. Never did quite like them. Too much bulk to it." Kendall smirked and nodded, before she glanced toward her Gran.

"Gran, this is Cooper. Cooper, this is my grandmother, Adele Stackhouse." Cooper stepped forward to take the woman's hand, kissing the back of it.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Stackhouse."

"You too, Cooper. Kendall tells me you're from Shreveport."

"Indeed, madam."

"I don't get down there much, myself, but it's nice." Kendall stood up.

"I go down there enough for the both of us Gran. I mean, look what kind of riffraff runs around out there," she motioned to Cooper with a laugh. All jokes aside, Cooper was actually dressed up for still being somewhat casual. He wore nice jeans, a white button down shirt with a collar and a dress vest over it. His hair was disheveled and windblown, but Kendall found it that much more attractive.

"That's wounding," Cooper said, letting her take his hand and lead him from the porch. "Again, it was nice meeting you, Mrs. Stackhouse."

"Goodnight, Gran!" Kendall called. She waved, looking over her shoulder and then set her eyes on Cooper who was looking at her. "You clean up nice."

"I might die now."

"What?"

"An actual compliment."

"Oh my gosh, shut up." She swatted him as he opened up the car door for her. "Seriously. I didn't think you'd drive this car."

"Because I'm a redneck bartender?" He smirked and shut the door. Kendall was silent.

"Yeah, kind of. From England. Because that makes sense."

"Thanks for judging me ahead of time." She watched him walk around the front of the car. If he was upset with her, it didn't show. Nor could she probe his mind. The tingling was present again, as was the nothingness. However, the nothingness wasn't as daunting as it had felt before.

"Are you upset with me?" she asked as he dropped himself in the driver's seat and started the engine. He took the time to put the top of the car up.

"Not at all. I'm used to it and I understand that you'd have preconceived notions – especially having to work in a bar scene. I kind of fit the profile of a redneck bartender." He smiled.

"But, you're different. I can already tell." Their eyes locked for a moment.

"Can you?" Kendall nodded. "I'm glad you think so."

* * *

It seemed like a shorter drive into Shreveport with Cooper at the wheel. Then again, it was dark and they were in a car that Kendall was sure got more mileage than four of Sookie's cars combined. However, after parking in a district she was unfamiliar with, she was a bit wary of how this date was starting to go. Never the less, she got out of the car when Coop came around and opened the door for her. "Is this the bad side of downtown?" she asked, smoothing the back of her black gilda skater dress.

"It's not the wealthier or the corporate side, if that's what you mean." He led her across the street toward an alley way between a torn open chain link fence. Kendall halted as he started to go through, pulling her hand from his. "What's the matter?"

"Is this the part where you go all murderous psychopath on me and leave my body in the alley?" Cooper just looked at her. "Seriously, I can outrun you. Even in these heels."

"Don't be ridiculous. I would never hurt you. Just trust me." He held out his hand. "Please?" Cautiously, she took it as she tried to go into his mind again. She thought she saw him shake his head as if to shake away a fly that was buzzing around him. There was still a quiet tingling with him and it started to frustrate her. Her fight or flight instinct began to awaken as they walked further into the darkened alley. Cooper finally stopped and pounded on what was a boarded up doorway. It opened and Kendall stepped back while a large man looked at the two of them. He seemed to know Cooper and disinterest befell him. When his eyes came to Kendall, a spark lit him up.

"Please, come in. Enjoy yourselves," he offered, stepping aside to allow them access. Cooper let Kendall step inside first and then followed her closely, towering over her five foot two inch frame as she glided down a corridor and broke into a bigger room.

"See? Nothing to be afraid of," he said over the soft jazz music playing from the live band on stage at the front of the room. Random couples were scattered across the dance floor in front of the stage while other patrons were occupying tables throughout.

"I have never seen a real speakeasy," she said with a smile.

"They're hard to find unless you know the right people." Cooper stopped at the bar, watching Kendall look around the place. He was thrilled that she appeared a bit more at ease. "Would you like a drink?" She finally turned to him, her features softened in the dim lighting.

"Order something for me," she said, leaning against the bar. Cooper's face changed to something darker as he looked beyond her. Cool fingertips brushed Kendall's shoulders as someone walked behind her.

"Hello, gorgeous," a woman said, leaning on the bar beside her. Kendall was taken aback by the woman. To be called gorgeous by her was extremely flattering, considering that this dark-haired creature was nothing short of picturesque herself.

"Hi," Kendall said, unsure of the woman's intent.

"Sod off, Valencia," Cooper said to the woman. Kendall looked to her date again, Coop's expression more like a predator locking down its prey.

"Now is that any way to introduce me to your company, Cooper?" The one called Valencia focused on Kendall again and held her hand out. "Pardon his rudeness, dear. I'm Valencia."

"Kendall," the blond said, taking the woman's hand in hers. She could feel the temperature difference, but didn't note it in her mind.

"Is this your first time here?"

"Yes, and she's with me. She's mine, Valencia." Cooper answered for Kendall, who looked at him quizzically. Valencia released Kendall's hand and lazily shrugged a shoulder.

"I was just getting to know the newbie. Calm down." Valencia looked at Kendall once more. "Men. If you change your mind," she kissed Kendall's cheek and Cooper stepped forward. Kendall noticed and put her hands against Cooper's chest.

"It's okay," Kendall said with a laugh. "Are you gonna fight a woman?"

"Over you? Yes."

"Well, as you strangely let her know, I'm yours, so relax." Cooper looked down at her, his stance relaxing. "That's a weird thing to say, considering this is our first date and all." She arched a brow at him.

"It worked, didn't it?" Kendall smirked. "I said it so she, and everyone else here, knows that you're with me." She shook her head and pulled him toward the dance floor.

"Let's show 'em then." Cooper spun Kendall before pulling her back to him.

The duo began to sway to the melodic tune playing. His hand rested on her waist in their proper dancing stance, but three dances in, Kendall had become enamored enough to rest her hands and forearms against Cooper's strong chest while his arms were around her waist. For whatever reason, she was able to relax with him. She let her guard down, and even in the room full of people, there was nothing but tingling to feel. There were no thoughts to hear. It was a very odd, but strangely welcoming, sensation.

She wrapped her arms around his torso and rested her head against his chest as his fingers danced across her bare back. "Are you doing all right, love?"

"Never better." She sighed. "I feel different with you."

"How do you mean?"

"The banter that we have. Not everyone gets that, and that's me. I can be myself, at least in part with you." She looked up at him and his brow furrowed.

"You can be yourself completely with me." Kendall opened her mouth to speak, but an overwhelming buzzing took place of any sane thought she had. She closed her eyes for a moment and stopped swaying. "Kendall?"

"Do you hear that?"

"What?"

"That buzzing sound." She opened her eyes in a squint and looked around, before leaning against him. Cooper looked around as he held her upright.

"I don't hear anything. Let's go get some air." He led her outside, tossing a look back over his shoulder before exiting the open room. Valencia smiled and waved from the corner, a red tint to her grin, before turning her attention back to the girl beside her.


	9. Chapter 9

Cooper drove the two of them out of the city and over a few back dirt roads as Kendall tried to shake the feeling of static from her brain. It gave her a jelly feeling in her limbs as well and a sense of dread coupled with a combination of thrill and sensuality. It faded the further they got away from the speakeasy. Cooper only looked her way once, focusing solely on the roads before them.

"Are you all right?" He finally asked softly. She mustered a nod.

"I don't know what that was. I heard the weirdest sound and then this feeling…" she motioned from her head over her body.

"Do you get migraines often?"

"It's not like a migraine. It's more than that." She sighed and looked at him. "It's hard to explain. I'm so sorry."

"Don't apologize, Love. I just want to be sure you're okay."

"I am." She took hold of his free hand. "Thank you." He enlaced their fingers and they fell silent for the rest of the car ride.

The car pulled up a dirt drive and around the back side of a house that sat back from any road they would have been on. There was no back yard, but rather a wide open space that Kendall could see housing a dock and a pond. She had to let out a laugh.

"What?" Cooper said, shifting into park.

"I take it this is your house."

"Well, it's my mate's house. I take care of it while he's deployed."

"You have a pond."

"Yes, there's a pond."

"Kind of dangerous to have a pond on your property in Louisiana. You might as well live in the Bayou." Cooper finally smiled.

"I have yet to see a rogue crocodile or alligator on this property." They looked at each other. "Do you want to come in? There's something I want to show you. It's the best feature of this place."

"Sure." Cooper got out of the car and Kendall got herself out before he could come around and help her. He met her around the back of the car and the two of them walked hand and hand into the house. The light came on and Kendall blinked before looking around. It honestly looked as though two men might have inhabited it. There wasn't really a feminine touch to the place.

"Come," he said, leading her by the hand up a staircase. She followed, watching him as they walked up the flight and then down a hall. Cooper paused to pull a string hanging from the ceiling. The panel dropped down and he grabbed hold of the wooden ladder attached to it. Unfolding it, he glanced her way before motioning to the steps. "Ladies first."

"There isn't bats or squirrels or anything up there, is there?" Cooper's lips rubbed together in a raspberry burst before his laugh.

"No. It's a spare room, but what I want to show you is up there." Kendall eyed him warily. "Would you prefer I went first? You don't trust me, still."

"I trust you." She climbed up the ladder and emerged into an immaculately clean attic bedroom. The ceiling was high, but sloped to accommodate the roof. There was a solitary window across from the bed and it had a window seat. Cooper joined her in the room and pointed toward the window seat. She sat down and he pushed open the window panel before sitting across from her. "Wow," Kendall marveled, looking up at the clear, starry sky. "If Gran's house wasn't so hot on the upper levels, I'd totally do this in her attic."

"It's brilliant, isn't it?"

"You stargaze a lot here?"

"It's good for centering."

"Do you have to center a lot?"

"Sometimes; after a particularly trying night at the bar." Kendall nodded, knowing that feeling all too well. "What do you do to recollect yourself?"

"I read. Sometimes I do yoga."

"What do you like to read?"

"Fiction, mostly. It's better to escape from reality."

"Is reality that bad?"

"Depends on the night." Cooper was quiet for a moment while they looked up at the sky. "Not tonight." He turned his head to look at her again, only to be met by her mouth on his. His hands found the sides of her face, gently holding it as he returned the kiss. Kendall rested her hands on his shoulders as she moved to her knees on the window seat and leaned into him. Being forward with a man wasn't something she was used to, but there was something so different about Cooper that she'd cast her inhibitions aside.

The man maneuvered sideways to accept some of her weight into his lap, dropping his hands to her hips as she moved onto him. The kiss deepened and Cooper was holding her firmly against him. Suddenly, he convulsed, causing Kendall to bite down on his lip accidentally. She arched back from him and put her hands over her ears. A groan of pain escaped her and Cooper moved to set her down on the window seat.

"Bloody hell."

"What was that?!"

"That's what happens when he avoids his phone, dear girl," a woman's voice said from the opposite side of the room. Cooper turned his head, but Kendall was trying to slow her breathing as the sound dissipated.

"Fucking hell, Pamela. You could knock," Cooper snapped. Kendall finally dropped her hands and turned her head to look at Cooper and the unknown female.

"And miss this priceless look on your face?" Pamela came closer to the duo and leaned toward Kendall. "She smells amazing."

"Who is she?" Kendall asked, making a disgusted face and leaning away from the woman.

"My sister," Cooper said, helping Kendall sit back up.

"To use the term loosely. Now, come. You know you've been summoned." Pamela said, starting back down the ladder. Kendall looked toward Cooper.

"Summoned?" she was every bit of confused.

"She's very dramatic. She means my father is upset I ignored his calls, so he sent her to get me. It must be important." He sighed.

"O…kay…"

"Will you stay?" Cooper stood up. "I should only be gone for a short while. You can rest here." He reached to pull the window panel closed. "No one will bother you." Not really seeing an alternative, she nodded. He couldn't very well take her home at that point and she didn't want to bother Sookie or Jason for the drive to Shreveport this late. Cooper kissed her and then stalked across the room. "I definitely owe you a better first date."

* * *

A long dreamless slumber came to an end when Kendall rolled over in the attic's bed. She didn't remember falling asleep there, just that she had sat down to relax and wait for Cooper. If he'd returned after she'd gone to sleep, he hadn't woken her, but let her rest. The truth of such came to light when Kendall sat up and saw a folded note beside her on the night stand. There was a set of keys next to the note.

 _I didn't have the heart to wake you. I'm at the construction site now. Take my car home. I'll come get it when I'm finished,_ was all it said. Kendall yawned, dropping the note and looking around the room. This would go down in history as one of the strangest first dates she'd ever been on.

After refreshing herself in the downstairs restroom, Kendall set off for home. She looked at the time on the car's dash and silently cursed. Everyone would be at her house by the time she got there. It'd be awkward pulling up in a strange car and having to explain where it came from, especially with Rene there. She wasn't looking forward to it. Nevertheless, she took advantage of the car's stereo system and open top, enjoying the drive back to Bon Temps.

She was right to assume everyone would be there with the cookout underway. She was also right to assume that she would draw attention to herself pulling up in Cooper's corvette.

"Whoa!" Jason shouted. Sookie jogged over as Kendall pulled herself from the car.

"Did you stay with Cooper last night?" Sookie asked quietly once she was close to her sister.

"Well, I stayed in his house." Her sister was clearly confused. "It's a long story. Let me go freshen up and change. I'll tell you later when everyone isn't staring at me."

"But, is this his car?"

"Yeah." Kendall started for the house.

"Whose car is that, Ken?" Jason asked from where he sat with Rene, Hoyt, and Lafayette.

"A friend's." she said before disappearing inside. Sookie rejoined the party.

"It's that bartender's car, ain't it?" Lafayette asked.

"That's what she said," Sookie confirmed.

"Did she stay the night with him?" Jason asked. His eyes shifted from Sookie to Rene then back to Sookie.

"In his house. It didn't seem like it was with him in the typical sense, though." She shrugged. Jason got up to go turn the ribs on the grill. Rene followed him.

"I said ol' Rene gonna have to up his game. 'Specially now seein' dude's car." Lafayette let out a laugh. Sookie shook her head and waved to Sam, who pulled up in his truck. He hopped out and paused, looking toward the corvette. Sookie noticed he looked troubled, but he trekked across the lawn and smiled as he joined them.

"Hey, y'all," he said, sitting down in a lawn chair.

"Yo, Sam! Beer?" Hoyt asked. Sam declined. Kendall came out of the back door, bypassing Jason and Rene at the grill. She stopped at the cooler to retrieve a beer for herself before dropping down on a lounger.

"How y'all doin'?" she asked. Rene sat down on the end of the lounger. "Hey."

"Can we talk?" She took a drink of her beer, and then nodded.

"Yeah." He stood and pulled her up. The two of them walked away from eavesdropping ears.

"He's gonna set her right." Hoyt said.

"Yeah, well, I told her to tell him." Jason said, sitting back down in his chair.

"Do you tell your girl of the night about the one before?" Sookie asked.

"That is different. Everyone expects me to sleep around."

"Kendall doesn't sleep around. And that's a double standard." Jason shrugged.

"That's just how it is, Sook."

Rene and Kendall rounded the corner of the old shed behind the house and Rene crossed his arms. Kendall didn't meet his eyes, knowing that he was upset. She didn't have to have her shield down to feel it coming from him. She could tell by looking at him.

"So, what's the deal?" Rene asked.

"I didn't sleep with him, if that's what you mean. If it was that serious, I would have told you." She leaned against the side of the shed. "I like you both. I'm trying to figure things out."

"I don't like this back and forth shit, Kendall. You think I want to share you with someone?" Kendall stood up straight.

"Rene, to be fair, we had one date. You did ask me out for another and I agreed, but it hasn't happened yet. We never said we were going to be exclusive. And how could we after one date?"

"So you'd be cool with me seeing someone else?"

"If that's what you want."

"That's not what I want." He sighed and dropped his arms to his sides. Kendall dared to take his hand.

"Can we just continue to have fun and date and see where it goes?" Rene looked at her for a moment. "Besides, I didn't have the best date with Cooper last night anyway." He sighed and nodded.

"Yeah." Kendall smiled and led Rene back to the party.

* * *

"Ooh, your sister shouldn't smoke weed no more." Lafayette said with a laugh. Jason shook his head.

"Light weights."

"None of y'all should be…" Sam looked around, mid-sentence. The bonfire in front of him, making shadows dance on his face. Sookie looked around then, asking what he was searching for. Cooper came up the driveway, waving when he made eye contact with Sookie.

"Hey, Cooper!" She greeted with excitement. "I'm glad you stopped by."

"I sort of had to. Your sister has my car," he said with a laugh. His eyes searched for Kendall. When they found her asleep next to Rene on a blanket next to the fire, his demeanor seemed to change. Sookie took a sharp breath, finding him to look somewhat menacing.

"I'll wake her up," she finally said.

"Keys are here," Rene said. His hand slid across Kendall's butt, a sly smirk on his face as he did so. He found the keys in the back pocket of her shorts. She shifted, her eyes fluttering open.

"It's alright, Chère," he cooed. She reached back toward her backside.

"What are you doin'?"

"Kendall, Cooper is here for his car." Sookie said. Kendall pushed herself up using Rene's chest and looked up.

"Oh," she held the side of her head for a moment. "Jesus Lafayette. No more smoking."

"It's good shit." Kendall grabbed the keys from Rene and stood up. The conversation went on around the bonfire as she approached Cooper, who watched her from his eerily still stance.

"Do you want a beer or something?" she asked, holding up his key ring.

"No. I have to get back to Shreveport." He took the keys and turned toward her.

"Okay. I'll walk you to your car."

"That's all right. Stay with your friends." He kissed her cheek and stalked away. Kendall looked at Sookie, who only glanced at her. With a sigh, Kendall turned and jogged after Cooper.

"Coop." He paused by the car. "Thanks for letting me use it. And for last night." He nodded. She lightly shook her head curiously. "Are you upset with me, or…?"

"Is that your boyfriend, there?" Cooper leaned against the car, making him slightly shorter to meet her eyes easier.

"No."

"You looked very cozy."

"We had a date. Cooper, I like you. Don't be upset with me. I want to go out with you again."

"I don't think that's a good idea, Kendall."

"Why?"

"Trust me. It just isn't." He moved to get into his car.

"Cooper."

"Goodbye, gorgeous." Kendall stood still, dumbfounded by Cooper as he started up the car and backed down the driveway.


	10. Chapter 10

"Where are we going?" Kendall asked Sookie as they rode along in the Gremlin. Sookie stopped singing to the music on the radio to answer.

"Over to Dawn's to pick her up."

"Then where?"

"Shreveport." Kendall sighed and propped her head on her hand after she placed her elbow on the window sill of the car.

"Why Shreveport?"

"Because there's more to do there and we're here all the time." Sookie pulled onto Dawn's street. "Are you afraid we're going to run into Cooper or something?"

"No. I don't care."

"I don't even know why you try to lie to me."

"Well! I'm just irritated."

"Then go confront him."

"He's a giant and I might make him mad. I wouldn't want to see him when he's angry. He might hulk smash something." Sookie laughed, honking her horn to signal to Dawn that they were there to get her.

"Stop."

"He didn't really do anything that I can confront him about. He saw me with Rene and didn't want to be in the dating game with me, I guess. I can't fault him for it."

"But you can go tell him that you definitely are into him and will stop seeing Rene if he feels the same way and wants to pursue something with you." Kendall shrugged, watching Dawn emerge from her house and jog over to the car. The twins were silent as the girl dropped herself into the backseat of the car.

"Hey, ladies!" Dawn exclaimed.

"Hey, Dawn!" Sookie said with a smile.

"Hey," Kendall said. Sookie backed the car out and set the girls on the journey into Shreveport. Dawn led most of the conversation, though it did steer a lot into her romantic escapades and the gossip she collected at Merlotte's. Nevertheless, Kendall was grateful because that meant that Sookie didn't revisit the subject of Cooper.

* * *

"Wait, wait! Look! There's that new vampire bar!" Dawn said. Sookie slowed down on the street, pulling over so as not to block traffic. The trio of women looked through the windows at the place that looked boring from the outside. Of course, it was still daylight, so that accounted for it being closed. "We should stop in before we head back tonight."

"Are you insane?" Kendall asked. "Why would we need to go into a vampire bar?"

"Why not? Are you afraid they'll eat you?" Dawn said with a laugh.

"That's primarily what they've done for thousands of years, Dawn."

"Oh, come on! Where's your adventurous side?"

"She doesn't have one," Sookie said. "I think it might be interesting. Fangtasia." She turned her head to look at Kendall who shook her head and looked forward as if to prompt them to continue their original route. Sookie sighed and continued driving.

"I bet it's jumpin' at night," Dawn said, sitting back in the seat. "I'm gonna get a new outfit to wear to it."

"You actually want to meet a vampire?" Kendall asked, turning sideways in the seat to look at her.

"Why not? They're controlled. Wouldn't you want to meet someone that's lived hundreds of years? Someone that's magically defied nature and is so strong and…mysterious?"

"Not to mention lethally dangerous." Dawn laughed and waved dismissively.

"It's just something new to experience! Plus, why not get to know some since we're living among them now? Who knows? You might have met some and not even know it." Kendall turned back around in the seat. Dawn was right. She could have met a vampire in passing and never even known it. The thought made her cringe a little bit.

"Let's get some food and then we'll go shopping." Sookie suggested.

"I'm down with that." Dawn agreed. Kendall nodded. A few minutes later, Sookie was pulling in the lot of a familiar bar.

"I veto this selection," Kendall said, sitting up straight.

"Why? This place looks good." Dawn said, grabbing her bag and already pulling herself from the car. Sookie looked at her sister.

"The food was good." Sookie followed Dawn and Kendall haughtily got out of the car.

"I hate you right now," she said.

"What's the problem?" Dawn asked. Sookie laughed.

"This is where Cooper works," she answered. "It's not night time yet. Doesn't he work the night shift most of the time? He's probably not even here." She led the three of them through the doors.

"And if he is, just tell him you want to fuck his brains out and get it over with. It might make you feel better." Dawn said. Kendall looked up at her and just shook her head.

"I can't imagine what it looks like inside your brain," the perplexed blond said. Dawn winked.

"Yes you can, girl."

"We won't sit at the bar, okay?" Sookie said before she told the hostess their preference.

"Good tactic. He can lust from afar." Dawn said, following to a table. "Excuse me," she said, stopping the hostess before she left, "is Cooper tending tonight?" The hostess seemed to scoff at her.

"Cooper doesn't work here anymore," she said before walking away. Dawn and Sookie looked at Kendall, who seemed to visibly relax at the woman's admittance.

"Well, at least you've managed to dodge him again and can eat without him staring at you." Sookie said as the girls sat down. "But you've got his number so just call him and ask him to meet up with you. I've never seen you so bent out of shape over a guy before, so that means he's definitely worth it."

"I thought you were dating Rene," Dawn said, looking at her menu. Kendall shook her head.

"I don't want to talk about it anymore." And just like that, Dawn and Sookie started a whole new conversation that led away from Kendall's broken love life, all while Kendall stewed over what she wanted to do about it. She tried to keep up with the conversation and pushed any thoughts of Rene or Cooper to the back of her mind. She was supposed to be having a girl's night and she wanted to enjoy herself.

Of course it helped that Dawn ordered three rounds of whiskey shots to relax them a bit.

After dinner, the girls were in lifted spirits and off on a mission to shop and spend the money they worked so hard to earn. Dawn pulled them into a shady looking boutique where they spent the better part of two hours trying on clothes. The style inside wasn't exactly fitting for any of them, really, but Dawn insisted that they were going to stop at Fangtasia and that they look both sexy and enticing. Sookie went along with it and Kendall rebelled as much as possible.

Dawn ended up with tight black jeans, distressed down the legs, and a black sleeveless shirt that laced down the front, showing her cleavage and stomach.

Sookie picked out a subtle baby pink flare dress with black hearts all over it and a black belt.

Kendall tried to walk out of the store with nothing, complete with the notion that she'd wait in the car for the both of them.

The girls got her into purple velvet dress with flare sleeves. They slapped a black choker on her and dared her to fight them again. Kendall actually liked the dress, so she left well enough alone. She'd fight again once they got to the bar.

Funnily enough, she didn't. Much.

* * *

"I knew it! Look at this place!" Dawn said, marveling in the back seat as Sookie looked for a place to park. The sign was lit up in the night and there were spotlights searching the sky. Velvet ropes lined a red carpet where a long line of people were waiting to go in. Two bouncers were at the door admitting people slowly. Most of them looked agitated that they weren't already inside. And, most of them, looked like early 2000s goth kids. Kendall started to rethink their clothing.

After five minutes, Sookie finally parked down the street.

"Have fun, ladies," Kendall said, settling back in the seat.

"Don't make me drag your tiny little ass out of this car. I'm stronger than I look." Dawn threatened.

"How many times do I have to tell you that I don't want to go in there?"

"Kendall, please come with us? Just for a few? If you don't like it, you can come back to the car, okay?" Sookie pleaded. Kendall looked back and forth between her sister and friend.

"Don't worry. I'll protect you from the big bad vampires." Dawn said with a laugh.

"I'm sure you will," Kendall said sarcastically, getting out of the car. Dawn and Sookie hooted their excitement. "I don't want to hear that I never did anything for the two of you. Ever. In life. Got it?" The two of them hugged her simultaneously as they began to walk back toward Fangtasia.

"Such a hostile little nugget." Dawn said. The three of them got in line in front of Fangtasia and assessed the people before them. "Interesting people…" Dawn said flatly.

"Hey, I know her," Kendall pointed out. Sookie and Dawn looked around.

"Who?" Sookie asked.

"Her." Kendall pointed to a tall, beautiful woman who was walking down the line of potential patrons. She seemed to be assessing them for herself as well. As soon as Kendall mentioned her, it was as though the woman heard her, though she was clearly out of earshot. She looked toward Kendall and her company and then blatantly ignored everyone else as she strolled over to them.

"Kendall, was it?" the woman said.

"Yes. I'm sorry. I recognize you, but I don't quite remember…"

"Pamela. I suppose you are here to see Cooper." Sookie and Dawn looked at Kendall.

"I wasn't, but…"

"You three. Follow me." Pamela was walking away before Kendall could finish her statement. Kendall looked to Sookie and Dawn before they ducked under the rope and took wide strides to catch up with the statuesque woman. Pamela stopped them at the door where the bouncers eyed the three of them. "Names, so I may add them to future lists."

"Kendall Stackhouse, Sookie Stackhouse, Dawn Green." Kendall said. Pamela nodded and stepped aside, allowing them entrance into the club. Hesitantly, Kendall led her sister and friend inside. She hadn't even wanted to go in and here she was, getting them in before everyone outside because she apparently had connections she didn't know about.

"How do you know that woman?" Sookie asked.

"She's Cooper's sister." Kendall said, her tone suggesting confusion, and rightfully so.

"Apparently he has an interest in vampires too," Dawn said, looking around. "This place is amazing."

"I don't know that he has an interest in vampires, rather than an interest in a career venue change." Sookie pointed toward the bar and Kendall and Dawn followed her gesture, turning their attention toward the bartender.

Cooper.


	11. Chapter 11

Cooper finished serving a pair of drinks to a couple in front of him, a Tru Blood to the man and an alcoholic beverage to the woman. He stiffened up for a moment before his attention came right to them. His expression changed a few times before he shook his head and called for the second bartender to look after the counter. He moved away from it and Dawn grabbed hold of Sookie's hand.

"They're gonna need a moment," she said, pulling Sookie away.

"Don't you dare," Kendall said in a harsh whisper. Cooper was at her side before she could argue any longer. She inhaled deeply and then looked up at him.

"What are you doing here?" he asked.

"Nice to see you too," she said, dropping her eyes and looking around the place. A lot of people seemed to be focused on her, or Sookie and Dawn.

"It is nice to see you. I just didn't expect to see you here."

"Well, it wasn't my choice. My friend Dawn and my sister wanted to stop in and check the place out." She was silent a moment longer, her eyes falling on a very large man sitting in a chair on a makeshift platform at the head of the room. Was it a throne he was sitting on? He wore all black and his long blonde hair was resting down over his shoulders. He was watching her and Cooper, but only for a moment. His eyes then went to Sookie and Dawn. "Um," Kendall shook her head.

"What?" She struggled for a moment. Something plagued her internally. Why was she suddenly so uneasy?

"I need some air." Kendall turned away from him and walked back through the door, bypassing Pamela as she came inside.

"Have you introduced them?" she asked Cooper.

"No." Cooper said before he walked out after Kendall. He looked around for a moment and then found her by the line of bushes in front of the parking lot. "Are you all right, Love?"

"Yes. Shouldn't you be working?"

"I will go back in a moment."

"Go back now. I'm fine."

"Come with me."

"I don't want to hang out in a vampire bar."

"I'm a vampire," he blurted out.

* * *

"Ladies," Pamela said, joining Sookie and Dawn at the bar. "Are you enjoying yourselves?"

"So far, yes," Dawn said.

"It's a really nice place," Sookie added.

"Would you like to meet the owner?" Pamela asked, seeming to nod to someone nearby. A man stepped to the bar next to Dawn and proceeded to buy her a drink, drawing her attention away. Sookie looked from Pamela to Dawn then to Pamela again.

"Oh, uh, sure. Sounds great," Sookie said. Pam held out her hand to motion toward the man sitting in the chair across the room. Sookie followed her over and Pam took her place standing next to the man.

"Sookie, this is Eric Northman." It took a moment, but Eric's chilly blue eyes shifted from forward to upward at Sookie. She extended her hand, but he didn't take it, making her feel slightly awkward.

"It's nice to meet you, Mr. Northman. This is a lovely establishment." Eric didn't say anything as he watched her. "I think it's great that you opened up an inclusive bar." Sookie was silent for a moment, disliking that he wasn't speaking to her. "We don't have any vampires where I live; that I know of, anyway."

"Sookie brought her friend and her twin sister tonight. Kendall is Cooper's pet." Sookie looked at Pamela then.

"Cooper's pet? I don't like that," she said.

"What do you seek this evening, Miss Stackhouse?" Eric finally said, his voice coming in a smooth manner. Sookie gazed at him for a moment.

"Something more than you've given me. Etiquette, for one."

* * *

"What?" Kendall asked softly. Cooper stared at her intently.

"I'm a vampire. I'm surprised you couldn't put that together." She took a moment to gather her thoughts, but just shook her head.

"A vampire. You've got to be shittin' me." He started to rest his hand on her shoulder, to console her, but she recoiled. "Don't." Cooper pulled back instantly. "You should have told me before."

"Are you anti-vampire?" his tone suddenly seemed cold.

"Cooper! I've never known one! And you never told me."

"So? You liked me anyway. I'm not any different now."

"You're a whole lot different now."

"How is that?"

* * *

"Dear, this is Eric Northman, Vampire Sherriff of…" Pamela started.

"I don't care who or what he is. He's rude." Sookie suddenly stopped talking and turned her head, thoughts raging into her mind. Her eyes settled on two menacing looking men who rose from their seats, leaving two beautiful women at the table. "Guns," she said, reading their minds. She turned back to Eric and Pam. Eric stood up at that point. "They have guns! Dawn!"

Eric pulled Sookie to him and turned her away from the crowd when shots started popping. Screams rang out and chaos ensued. Sookie couldn't have fought against Eric if she wanted to, though she was too terrified to do anything but stand there and stare up at him. If bullets were hitting him, he showed no evidence of pain as he was looking down at her.

* * *

Cooper jumped at the sound of gunfire inside and grabbed Kendall's hand. Louder and nearby gunfire peppered outside, causing the people waiting outside to scatter as the drive by gunmen rained bullets on the establishment. Not even the people running out of the club were safe from the danger inside as they ran right into the hell awaiting them. Kendall screamed and stumbled and Cooper spun around quickly, pinning her to the wall and guarding her body with his.

A scent filled his senses and he felt his fangs react, so he chose not to open his mouth and scare her further. He knew she was bleeding. He knew she'd been hit the moment she screamed. It hadn't been a scream of terror, but rather a scream of agonizing pain.

Tires squealed and the shots stopped. Sirens were heard in the distance and people slowly started recovering from the incident as they waited for both human and vampire authorities to arrive.

* * *

"Pamela." Eric said sternly, turning his head slightly.

"Taken care of," she said matter-of-factly. The shots had stopped inside before the shots outside started. There was carnage inside; a few bodies of humans being moved around and looked at for signs of life. A vampire or two dug at their own bodies to scoop the bullets out, but most of them were just fine.

"Mr. Northman. You're hurting me," Sookie finally said. Eric looked back down at her, watching her heaving chest rise and fall against his abdomen. He released his grip on her.

"How did you know they had guns?" he asked.

"I saw one of them pull from under their coat," she lied.

"You declared your observation before that happened." She stared at him and then her attention was stolen away.

"Sookie!" Dawn shouted from somewhere in the bar. Sookie peered around Eric. "Kendall!" Dawn pointed to Cooper carrying Kendall inside.

"Oh, for fuck's sake," Pam said. Eric turned around and watched the scene before him. The vampires in the room perked up at the smell of the bleeding girl. Eric did as well. There was something quite enticing about her…and her sister. He couldn't quite figure it out, however.

"Eric?" Cooper said.

"My office," he stated. "I'll take care of this out here. Pamela, look after Sookie and Dawn."

"Like hell! I'm going with my sister!" Sookie shouted, watching Cooper disappear through a back door. Eric grabbed hold of the petite blonde's arm.

"If ever there were a time to trust me about anything, this would be it. He will take care of her." Eric's eyes radiated reassurance and although Sookie was hesitant, for some reason, she believed him. Finally, she nodded.

"Fine." Pamela herded the girls off of the main floor.


	12. Chapter 12

Kendall winced when Cooper laid her on a sofa. She tried to focus on anything other than the pain she felt in her side, but when she moved her hand and caught sight of the blood on it, there wasn't really much refocusing. Cooper swiftly moved around the room, collecting a few things before he dropped to his knees beside her.

"Do you trust me?" he asked, seriously. She looked at him through tearful eyes and nodded. "This will hurt, but I will fix it."

"Just do whatever you're going to do." Cooper gave a nod and then cut the dress open where the wound was. Kendall wrapped her hands loosely around his bicep until he started digging in the bullet hole. She let out a shriek and dug her nails so hard into his arm that he started to bleed. Once it was out, she could look him in the face again, but she noticed that it changed a little, and that was because his fangs were out. "Cooper," she whispered. He didn't look at her as he tried to clean up her skin.

"I can't help it. It's a reaction to your blood."

"Are you hungry?" she asked, a little renewed fear in her voice as she squirmed.

"No. It's the smell of your blood. It causes a reaction. My fangs just come out."

"I think I'm going to vomit."

"Well, I've never heard that one before." She waved at him.

"Not because of you," she said through shallow breaths.

"Slow down your breathing. You're going to hyperventilate and put your body in shock." She reached toward his mouth and he looked at her then. "What…are you doing?"

"Can I feel them?" He had to laugh at her.

"Right now? I'm trying to heal a gunshot wound."

"I mean, if I die, at least I can die knowing I got to touch vampire fangs." He lightly shook his head and then opened his mouth a bit for her. Kendall let her bloodstained fingertips graze his extended canines for a moment. "They're just teeth," she said bringing her hand back.

"What did you expect?" he said with a chuckle. Cooper sat up higher on his knees and looked at her. "Right. Now, I'm going to ask you to do something that I know you're going to fight me on, but it will save your life and heal you in minutes." Kendall eyed him. "I need you to ingest some of my blood."

* * *

"Don't worry, girls. Everything will be just fine." Pamela said, pouring them drinks from a decanter in the small dressing room. Dawn took the glass and looked around.

"Do you all hire dancers here?" she asked.

"We're contemplating. We haven't just yet. Why? You interested?" Pam smirked and Dawn arched a brow and shrugged her response. Sookie scoffed and rolled her eyes.

"Where is Kendall?" she asked.

"I'm very sure Cooper is taking good care of her," Pam said.

"I want to see her."

"When Eric is through running damage control, we'll all meet up."

"So, um, Kendall said you were Cooper's sister?" Dawn said, changing the subject and trying to ease the tension.

"In a manner of speaking, yes."

"Who's older?"

"Cooper is much older. Can't you tell, darling?" Pamela fluffed her hair. Dawn laughed.

"Excuse my judgment." Sookie got up and left them two of them in their chairs to pace near the door. Pamela leaned toward Dawn and spoke lowly, beckoning the girl to lean toward her. "Yes, Ms. Pam?" Pam was silent for a moment, letting Dawn focus on her.

"You had fun tonight."

"I had fun tonight."

"There was an incident, but you made it out in time. You're grateful."

"So grateful."

"You'll go back home and forget you came to Fangtasia." Pamela was silent for another moment and then sat back in her chair. Dawn blinked and drank the liquid in her glass. Sookie stepped toward them again.

"What was that?" she asked. Pamela stood up.

"What was what?"

"Were you trying to tell her to forget everything that happened?" Pamela looked Sookie square in the face, trying to latch onto her the same way that she had done to Dawn. Sookie stared at her.

"You also had fun, being here and experiencing something new with your sister and friend," she led.

"The hell I did!" Sookie turned away from her, leaving Pam feeling flabbergasted. "Is mind manipulation a vampire super power? Is this what Cooper is doing? Hypnotizing my sister to forget everything? Is he drinking her blood?!"

* * *

"Ingest some of your blood? Like, drink it?" Kendall asked. Cooper nodded "Coop…"

"Just do it, okay. You won't become a vampire. I promise." He bit his wrist open and brought it to her mouth. Kendall hesitated. "I'm bleeding all over you. Come on, then."

"This is disgusting and weird," Kendall put her mouth over his wrist wound and let the thick substance seep into her mouth. She tried not to gag at the sensation, but after a moment, she decided that the taste wasn't so bad. But, she had to turn her head away because the suggestion of the entire scenario was too much for her mind to handle in that moment. "Oh, God." He swiped at her mouth with the arm of his sleeve.

"We haven't gotten to the weird part."

"Wait, what? How was that not that weird part?"

"I need to heal the outer wound quickly."

"So do it."

"Are you sure? I would ingest some of your blood in the process."

"What…do you mean?" He could tell she felt awkward even talking about it, so he just motioned. "Just do what you have to do, Cooper. I've already taken your blood. Might as well exchange." She felt Cooper's mouth on her flesh then, around the wound. She felt herself make a face, and then tried to think about something else. Anything else. Was this a common practice between a vampire and a wounded human?

He stopped and looked at her. "That should be fine. Just lie here for a bit. I'm going to go check in with Eric, alright?" She nodded. Cooper got up off of the floor and went out of the room as quickly as he could, heading back into the main area of the cub where Eric was just sending the police away and letting the vampire authorities handle everything else.

"We will discuss this evening later. Have you cleaned?"

"Yes."

"Good. You may go rest now. I will retrieve you and Pamela when the authorities are finished." Cooper nodded and headed back into the back room.

"Pam?" He called in the hallway. Pamela emerged from the room where she was and came to him. "Did you glamour those two?"

"Funny thing, dear brother."

"What?"

"The tall one was easy to influence. The tiny one, however, seems…immune." Cooper's brows expressed confusion.

"Immune? What species are immune to glamour?"

"Well, they are clearly not vampires. They have a distinct smell, so why don't you ask your little plaything and let us know."

"She's not my plaything."

"Soft spot?"

"Stop."

"I will never understand your soft spot for humans." Cooper rolled his eyes.

"Will you tell Sookie that Kendall is fine and I'll bring her along in a few minutes?" Pam shrugged and retreated back to the dressing room. Cooper made his way back into Eric's office. He was surprised to see Kendall sitting up on the sofa. "Feeling better, Love?"

"This is the weirdest thing I've ever experienced." Cooper smiled, knowing full well that it wouldn't be the last of weird experiences for her. He leaned over to check her side where her dress was cut and was happy to see that there was no evidence of an injury.

"Come on. Let's get the rest of the blood off of you and find you something to change into." Cooper walked her to the restroom installed for human patrons and helped her wash the blood off of her hands. She watched his face as he concentrated, but after a moment, he looked at her. "What is it?"

"Thanks."

"Kendall!" she heard Sookie call from the hallway. Kendall looked behind her as a reflex. Cooper turned off the water and got some paper towels for her. She dried her hands as she went through the door he pulled open for her.

"Sookie, I'm right here." Cooper gave Pam a look when he saw her coming after Sookie. Pamela shrugged. Sookie looked her sister over and then pulled her into a tight hug.

"Are you okay?!" she asked.

"Yes. Cooper helped me. I'm fine." Sookie eyed Cooper over Kendall's shoulder and then let go of her sister to look at her again. "Are you okay? Where's Dawn?!"

"I'm right here." Dawn said, sauntering out from the dressing room.

"Oh my gosh! You guys are okay!" Eric came into the hallway then.

"You're free to leave when you're ready, ladies," he said, "everything is fine now."

"Good. Let's get the hell out of here." Sookie said.

"I do suggest using the back door, however. There is crime scene tape through the front."

"Thanks for the great evening," Dawn said with a smile as Pam led her toward the back door. Sookie rolled her eyes and stopped to square up to Eric. He looked down at her, a small bit of amusement playing at the corner of his lips.

"Miss Stackhouse," he said.

"I'm sorry about your club. Bigotry is awful. I hope it never happens again," then she stomped off, not letting her guard down again. Kendall turned her head to look at Cooper. He started to walk her out, leaning into the office and grabbing his leather jacket as he passed by.

"You and your sister flirt the same way," he noted.

"What? She wasn't flirting with that weirdo."

"That's Eric Northman. He owns this place."

"Yeah, I figured he was the owner."

"He also saved your sister's life, as far as I could tell."

"So? He's a weirdo. And so are you. And your sister." Cooper laughed and draped his jacket over her shoulders. Pamela let them by her at the door and she shut it once they were out.

"Because we're vampires?"

"Because you're all huge and beautiful. Is that, like, a vampire pre-requisite?" She pulled her arms through the sleeves of the jacket. It swallowed her up, but at least it covered the torn and cut parts of the dress as they walked to Sookie's car. Cooper rested his arm around her shoulders.

"No. Just a coincidence for this family, I suppose." Sookie and Dawn piled themselves into the Gremlin. "You'll call me when you get home."

"Is that an order?"

"More like a friendly request."

"Okay." She started to pull the jacket off.

"Keep it until you see me next time."

"Am I seeing you again? Last time we talked it didn't seem like you wanted to see me anymore."

"There's a lot to talk about. I do want to see you." She half smiled, drugged by his blood.

"Okay." He bent slightly to kiss her nose. "Goodnight, Coop."

"Goodnight."


	13. Chapter 13

"Are you okay?" Sam asked, bringing Kendall from her zoned out trance at the bar. She blinked and turned her head to look at him. The bar was not particularly busy that night, but even so, Kendall kept herself busy. Of course, her mind kept wandering to Cooper and she couldn't help it.

"Yeah. Sorry. I have a bit of a headache tonight." Sam nodded slowly, though the look on his face suggested that he didn't completely believe her. Sookie sidled up beside her.

"Ken. Take a break with me?" Kendall nodded and followed Sookie out from behind the bar. She paused at the kitchen window and looked in at Lafayette.

"Whatever you're cookin' smells amazing," she said. Lafayette looked up at her.

"Ain't nothin' special. Same ol', same ol' for those rednecks out there." Kendall shrugged and continued with her sister out the back door of the restaurant. She sat down on the bench while Sookie sat beside her.

"What's up?" Kendall asked.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah. Why do you keep asking me that? It's been two days. I'm still human. I'm fine."

"I just want to be sure. You swallowed vampire blood." Sookie said in a hushed tone. "We have no idea what that can do."

"Well, so far, we know that it heals in minutes and makes me taste and smell things differently." She omitted the part about constantly thinking of Cooper, and the type of thoughts they were. "I can't say I hate it."

"Have you talked to Cooper?"

"Just for a bit when I got home that night. I imagine that he's busy cleaning up everything." Sookie nodded.

"There's a video."

"Huh?"

"Someone recorded it and put it on the net. I saw someone watching it and bad mouthing the vampires and fangbangers. I guess that's what the humans are being called." Kendall's eyes widened a bit.

"Holy shit. Is it on the news?"

"If not now, it might be later." Sookie sighed. "If you're in it…"

"Well, if the person watching it didn't see me and say anything, then I think I'm okay." Sookie's shoulders slumped. "It'll be okay, sis. Look how fast Eric cleaned everything up." She thought she heard her sister scoff.

"Right. That entitled…" Kendall smiled. "What?"

"You think he's cute."

"I most certainly do not!"

"I don't know who you are trying to lie to." Sookie paused and looked toward the door.

"Jason is here," she stood up. "Better get back inside." Kendall stood up to follow.

"Uh huh. Classic avoidance tactic. Smooth." The girls walked back inside to find the usual road crew trio at the bar. Sam had already served them their pitcher of beer, so Kendall didn't get shout at by her brother. She paused at the side of the bar before going behind it, leaning on the counter top while Sookie chatted to Jason and Hoyt. Rene turned his attention to Kendall. She smiled. "Hey there," she said, propping her chin on her hands.

"Well, hey," he said, smiling. His left arm snaked around her waist, his fingertips trailing along the bare skin peaking from under her top as he moved his limb. The contact felt different to her this time and although her thoughts had been plagued by Cooper all day, she couldn't do anything but channel all the lust she had right into Rene at that moment.

Kendall dropped one of her hands to the front of Rene's t-shirt and tugged him forward by the fabric, taking him a bit by surprise. She placed a kiss that felt urgent, even to her, against his lips. His grip around her waist tightened and she was forced to lean into him.

"Goddamn. Y'all wanna get a room, or what?" Jason said, nudging Rene in the back. Kendall broke away from Rene instantly. Why had she lost control like that? The past two days, she had been absolutely smitten with Cooper. Rene rested the side of his head against hers.

"You wanna come over tonight?" he said in a low voice. Kendall simply nodded and let go of him to walk away and resume her work. Sookie watched her walk away, a baffled look on her face, before she clenched her jaw and refocused on Rene.

"Rene, aside from my sister, what can I get you tonight?" Sookie asked. Kendall shook her head at her twin and turned her attention toward a customer at the bar.

* * *

Kendall held Rene's non-driving hand with her left hand and used the fingernails of her right hand to run up and down the exposed flesh of his arm. She didn't even bother to tell Sookie good night before she left. She knew Sookie would inquire about where she was going, and most likely try to talk her out of it because she was acting out of character, but Kendall couldn't stop the overwhelming feeling of impulse that was coursing through her.

The car pulled up into the small driveway next to Rene's trailer and he parked. The seatbelt holding him in safely was unlatched and he leaned over to kiss her, giving her a surprise of her own. A slight squeal escaped her and she started to laugh. He pulled back, smiling. "Let's go inside," he said.

"Well, I would have never thought of that. I figured we were going to sit in your car all night." She hopped out of the SUV and strolled around it, meeting Rene and grabbing his hand so he could lead her inside. He kicked the door shut behind them and flipped the lamp inside of the door on.

"Do you want…" Kendall cut him off with a rough kiss, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling his body against hers. Rene's hands moved over her body as she broke apart enough to speak.

"I just want you."

* * *

"Hello?" Sookie said into her phone, agitation icing her tone like a new cake.

"Miss Stackhouse, this is Eric Northman," the man said coolly. Sookie stared at the wall in her room, dumbfounded for a moment.

"Mr. Northman. How did you get my number?"

"That is not important. I was calling to check on you. And your sister and your friend."

"It's funny that you should pick tonight to call because I have a bone to pick with you."

"A…bone to pick with me. I don't believe I've heard that phrase before."

"I have a problem with you!" she said, frustrated.

"What is the problem, Miss Stackhouse?"

"What did Cooper do to my sister? Is his blood poison? She's been acting weird ever since she had it and now she's off doing stuff she wouldn't normally do."

"Such as?" She paused.

"Well, that's not necessarily important, but what are the side effects of having vampire blood?"

"I will tell you, Miss Stackhouse, but only in person."

"What?! No! Tell me now! My sister could be in danger!"

"What is it that she is doing that makes you so worried?"

"She went home with someone! I'm pretty sure she doesn't actually feel that strongly for him and she never does that kind of thing."

"Perhaps, she just wanted to fuck, Miss Stackhouse."

"Hey! You watch your filthy mouth mister! I am a lady and you will talk to me as such." She thought she heard Eric chuckle.

"My apologies. That is unfortunate, however. My progeny is very fond of her."

"Progeny?"

"Cooper. How are you doing after everything?"

"Don't you change the subject."

"Still a bit on edge. I understand."

"There's a video. It has gone viral on the internet."

"I've seen it. Nothing to worry about. It will victimize us as a race, but there will be no retaliation. We have extra security. I hope it doesn't deter you from coming back."

"Why would I come back? I've already seen your club. There's nothing special about it."

"Perhaps you could accompany your sister then, if she were to come see Cooper."

"After tonight, I doubt she'd come see Cooper again."

"Her libido is just increased. It is one of the side effects. It's doubtful the poor man she's with will be able to keep up with her appetite this evening."

"Ew! What?"

"You asked what the side effects were. I'm just being honest."

"It made my sister a nymphomaniac?"

"No. It is like the effect of taking the drug ecstasy. Just more intense. Have you ever experienced such a feeling?"

"Interesting, and also unfortunate."

* * *

Rene buried his face in the crook of Kendall's neck as she bucked her hips against his, each time, rocking harder. His hands gripped her hips hard enough for prints to be left, but as he pulled it felt as though he couldn't fill her enough. She moved so fast, and he'd tried to slow her down, to savor the feeling of their connectedness and to prolong the experience, but she was insatiable.

Kendall was a prisoner of her own mind in those moments. The harder she tried to concentrate on pleasing herself and Rene, the more the image of Cooper flashed in her mind. It only made the act of the sex with this man more confusing; for she lost sight of Rene completely for a few seconds at a time.

She was finally able to focus on Rene when he maneuvered them over on his sofa, her lying down and him on top of her. "Rene," she said in an almost agonized tone. He shook his head with a smirk and started thrusting into her at a slower pace, more controlled for him. "I hate you."

"No you don't, chère," in a growling cadence. His mouth found her breast then, and she laced her fingers in his hair as she arched her back. She bit her lip at the feeling and at the flash of Cooper in her mind again. Why was that happening? Why was any of this happening? She wouldn't have rushed this with Rene. For a moment, she felt outside of herself, and not in a good way, no matter how pleased she was in her body.

Rene quickened his hips, holding hers in place. Kendall let out a moan of pleasure and involuntarily dug her nails into his shoulder blades. That was enough to send him over his edge. His climax, however, was not enough to get her to hers.

* * *

"I shall like to see Merlotte's," Eric continued. Sookie sighed.

"Do you think that's a good idea, considering the turmoil that seems to be unfolding ever since you all came out of your coffins?"

"You do not think I would be welcome at Merlotte's."

"We have Tru Blood there. I just don't know how everyone would react. It seemed like a normal thing in Shreveport…for the most part. Bon Temps is so much smaller. I don't think there are vampires here."

"There are. You just don't know them."

"How do you know there are?"

"I am the Vampire Sheriff of Area 5. That covers Renard Parish as well. It is my job to know all of my vampire citizens."

"How many are there?"

"I cannot divulge that information."

"Why?"

"Over the phone. Perhaps in person."

"What makes you think I would ever want to see you again?"

"Your curiosity." She mindlessly shook her head. "I can answer questions for you."

"I could just ask Cooper."

"He is my progeny. He will not say a word."

"What is a Progeny?"

"I made him."

"You turned him into a vampire?"

"Yes."

"So…he's like…your son?"

"If you'd like to look at it that way, yes."

"So…those times he told Kendall he was going to see his dad, he was going to see you?"

"Yes."

"Weird. So weird."

"Will you see me again, Miss Stackhouse? If we are not alone together?"

"Not alone together? Like in public or something?"

"No, but rather, with Cooper and your sister. I suppose that would make you more comfortable. Would it not?"

"I don't now, Mr. Northman."

"Eric."

"Mr. Northman. I really don't have anything else I want to ask you."

"Then I suppose I will have to visit Merlotte's."

"Seriously?"

"I am a generous tipper."

"I will give it some thought. Is that a better answer?"

"I will take that."

"Your insistence is not liked."

"Neither is your resistance." There were silent for a moment. "I will leave you to rest now, Miss Stackhouse. Good evening."

"Good night, Eric." She shut her phone and tossed it on the side table.

* * *

"What are you doing?" Rene said with a laugh as Kendall stroked the chin hair of his goatee. The two of them lay on the living room floor wrapped up in a throw blanket watching the television. She looked at him and stopped.

"Nothin'. What are you doin'?" He kissed her softly and then rested his head on his hand to look at the television. Kendall turned her head when the word 'vampire' caught her attention. Sure enough the video of the shooting at Fangtasia had made the news. Inside, she started to panic a little, but as she watched it and found no evidence of herself or her companions, she relaxed. Rene, however, seemed to tense up.

"That's some fuckin' shit." Kendall turned her head to look him in the face. His brows were knit together, making him look angry. His jaw was clenched and his nostrils were flared. Kendall let her guard down enough to slip into his thoughts. _They're unnatural. They shoulda killed them all. And the fuckin' humans were there to what? Get bit? Get fucked? They should have died too._ She put her guard back up and turned on her side so that her back was to him. His arm stayed around her, but she away scooted enough for their bodies not to touch. "You okay?"

"It's a little warm, is all."

"Oh." She was suddenly so put off by this man that wished death not only to the vampires (was it out of fear?) but to humans. She felt him get up but kept her eyes on the television, though it was a blank stare that didn't focus on anything. She heard him shuffle around and then his air-conditioner kicked on. He came back in his boxers and sat beside her. "Here, babe."

Kendall was forced to look his way then and he offered her a cold bottle of water. Again, it was confusing that he would do something as sweet as turning up the air and giving her cold water because she was hot, but have such horrible thoughts. She sat up and took the water, letting the blanket slip from her upper body.

"Thanks," she said before taking the cap from the bottle and taking a drink.

"Did I get to tell you that you have amazing tits?" Kendall choked on her water, partially spitting it out and coughing. She laughed afterward, leaving Rene to laugh and wipe his face and chest. She pulled the blanket back around her.

"No more peeking." He grabbed hold of the end of the blanket. "I will fuck you up, man."

"Sorry. I only heard the word fuck," he leaned toward her then, pulling the blanket. She put her hand over his face.

"No, sir. I'm tired." Kendall moved her hand and Rene softly smiled.

"Okay," he laid a gentle kiss on her lips. "I'm happy you're here tonight." He stood up, reaching for her hands and pulling her up to her feet. She kissed him again, against her better judgment, resting her arms around his neck. "Let's go to bed," he said after a moment.

"Sorry. I only heard you can have the bed," Kendall shoved him away and laughed, walking out of the living room. "It's good manners to give your guest the bed. Good night, handsome." She shut the door to his bedroom, exhaling and shaking her head. What did she get herself into?


End file.
